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Ask your builder about natural gas before you start to build.Before you start to build is the easiest, most cost-effective time to ask your builder for natural gas in your new home. That way, your builder can plan from the ground-up to install the proper natural gas equipment, so you can enjoy the comfort and luxury of gas for as long as you own your home.
• What is Natural Gas? • What is Natural Gas? Natural gas is a combustible, gaseous mixture of simple hydrocarbon compounds, usually found in deep underground reservoirs formed by porous rock. Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed almost entirely of methane, but does contain minute amounts of other gases. » back to top • What are the Origins of Natural Gas? The prevailing scientific theory is that natural gas was formed millions of years ago when plants and tiny sea animals were buried by sand and rock. Layers of mud, sand, rock and plant and animal matter continued to build up until the pressure and heat from the earth turned them into petroleum and natural gas. » back to top • Where is Natural Gas Used? Natural gas is used extensively in residential, commercial and industrial applications. It is the dominant energy used for home heating with about 55 percent of American homes using gas. The use of natural gas is also rapidly increasing in electric power generation and cooling, and as a transportation fuel. » back to top • Is Natural Gas a Clean Fuel? Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, producing primarily carbon dioxide, water vapor and small amounts of nitrogen oxides. » back to top • How is Natural Gas Measured? (What is a BTU?) Natural gas, like other forms of heat energy, is measured in British thermal units or Btu. One Btu is equivalent to the heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at atmosphere pressure. However, consumer bills are usually measured in heat content or therms. One therm is a unit of heating equal to 100,000 Btu. » back to top • How Does Natural Gas Get to Customers? Three segments of the natural gas industry are involved in delivering natural gas from the wellhead to the consumer. Production companies explore, drill and extract natural gas from the ground. Transmission companies operate the pipelines that link the gas fields to major consuming areas. Distribution companies are the local utilities that deliver natural gas to the customer. » back to top • What Are the Main Uses of Natural Gas? About 46 percent of natural gas delivered to U.S. consumers is used in the industrial sector, providing energy for everything from mining minerals to processing food. Generating electricity consumes about 15 percent. Another 15 percent is used in the commercial market -- for heating and cooling office buildings, hospitals and schools, and for cooking in restaurants. Most of the remaining amount -- about 22 percent -- is used in the residential market, providing energy for home heating, hot water, cooking, clothes drying and air conditioning. » back to top |
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