Are you trying to save money on heat? Do you find yourself looking at heating bills every winter and wondering what you're going to have to sacrifice in order to pay it? Maybe a few dinners out? A few holiday presents for the kids? Something more?

It might be time to switch from gas to electric heating.

While the initial costs associated with installing a new electric heating system can be daunting, the money you save in the long run will more than make up for it. In the face of rising heating oil costs -- costs that don't seem to be subsiding anytime soon -- anyone concerned with saving money should at least consider switching.

Radiant electric heating that issues from the floor -- known as radiant floor heating -- only loses energy as it rises toward the ceiling, so there are no drafty corners or cold spots. The only cool part of the room will be way up near the ceiling.

Radiant electric heat also makes it easier to heat only specific areas of your home, which makes for lower overall heating bills. With gas heat and forced-air, you've got no choice but to heat the entire house at once. So when it's time to go to bed, you're still heating the living room, the kitchen, the hallways, and any other rooms where people aren't sleeping. Having the ability to control which parts of your home are heated is an excellent way to save on heating costs.

Electric heating is also safer and healthier. You're not breathing any of the toxic by-products of combustion, and you don't have to worry about gas leaks or fires.