In U.S. homes, electric heating rises as natural gas slips
The share of U.S. households reporting electricity as their main space heating fuel has risen since 2010, while natural gas has fallen
Image: Pexels
Although natural gas remains the most common heating fuel, American households are gradually switching to electricity.
What’s happening: In 2024, 42 percent of U.S. households reported that electricity was their main space heating fuel, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported October 10, citing census data. That’s up from 35 percent in 2010.
- Meanwhile, natural gas was the main heating fuel in 47 percent of homes last year, down from 49 percent in 2010.
The big picture: The EIA attributed the shift to some state and local governments having banned natural gas in new residential construction or retrofit applications, alongside the adoption of heat pumps.
What they’re saying: “Homes exposed to the warmest temperatures throughout the year were more likely to use electricity as their main heating fuel or report that they did not use any fuel for space heating,” the EIA writes, based on data from its latest energy consumption survey.
- “By comparison, propane, heating oil, and wood space heating were more common in homes exposed to the coldest temperatures,” it adds.
What we’re watching: The U.S. population has been generally moving west and south, to areas with warmer weather, resulting in lower demand for space heating.
Keep reading
Senate bills aim to speed apprenticeship approvals, track outcomes
The moves follow the Trump administration’s efforts to champion apprenticeships
HVAC shipments crater 49% in October, a record drop
October marks the sharpest single-month year-over-year drop since 2010, the furthest available data, topping September’s 42 percent decline
California pilot to boost contractor payments for recovered refrigerant
The state is launching a pilot program to boost refrigerant recovery and reclamation by paying HVAC contractors more for recovered refrigerant
