Electric heat converts nearly 100% of the energy in the electricity to heat. However, most electricity is produced from oil, gas, or coal generators that convert only about 30% of the fuel's energy into electricity. Because of electricity's generation and transmission losses, electric heat is often more expensive than heat produced in the home with combustion appliances, such as natural gas, propane, and oil furnaces.
Electric heat can be supplied by centralized forced-air furnaces or by zonal heaters in each room, both of which can be composed of a variety of heater types. Zonal heaters distribute electric resistance heat more efficiently than electric furnaces because you set room temperatures according to occupancy. In addition, zonal heaters have no ducts that can lose heat before it reaches the room. However, electric furnaces can accommodate central cooling easier than zonal electric heating, because the air conditioner can share the furnace's ducts.
Electric resistance heat can be provided by electric baseboard heaters, electric wall heaters, electric radiant heat, electric space heaters, electric furnaces, or electric thermal storage systems.
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