Heating Equipment Heating equipment is the largest component of annual energy bills. Investigating the type of heating system should be a major consideration in evaluating a rental. This includes evaluating the type of heating fuel. Natural gas is the most common heating source found in Columbia followed by electric heat pumps. Efficiencies of all furnaces are affected by their age, and natural gas units are no exception.
Electricity is the second most common heat source.
There are many varieties of electric heaters and furnaces. Out of these, heat pumps are the most efficient. They do this by moving heat rather than transforming it, which uses less power than electric resistance heating. Electric forced air furnaces are more commonly found in rentals than heat pumps. The electric furnace has resistance heaters that convert electricity into heat.