Natural Gas Vs. Heating Oil: What Homeowners Should Know
When it comes to comparing different kinds of heating systems, you should always think about the types of fuel that these systems use. This can have a significant impact on comfort levels, heating costs, and resident safety. In this article, you will find an in-depth comparison of natural gas versus heating oil.
Pricing Options And Service Plans
Contents
Natural gas, unlike heating oil, typically comes from one major utility. As such, gas provides far fewer options in terms of fuel supply management and control when compared to heating oil. Moreover, the limited number of gas suppliers leaves homeowners with just a few options for getting their heat when it comes to pricing and service plans.
The good news is that people who use oil don’t really have to deal with issues like these given that there’s a much larger number of heating oil suppliers that these individuals can choose from. It’s also important to note that reliable companies within the heating oil delivery industry typically offer a variety of financing options along with delivery plans that are structured to meet the needs of their clients. They key is to locate the right company that can suit your needs. R.F. Ohl is known for offering high quality fuel oil services at affordable prices. We offer many fuel oil delivery plans as well as different financing options.
Environmental Impact
Natural gas is not less harmful to the natural environment than fuel oil. The truth of the matter is that natural gas actually causes far more harm to the environment overall. This is because methane gas is its primary component. Methane gas is largely responsible for global warming. The US Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, states that the effects of methane gas on climate change is actually 25 times that of CO2 or carbon dioxide. With this in mind, the more environmentally friendly fuel for generating heat is heating oil.
There are a number of bio-diesel blends that use wasted soy bean oil. This fuel converts into a sulfur-free and relatively clean fuel. Some studies report that heating oil produces approximately 0.40 percent of the United State’s particulate emissions. However, gas leaks and emissions pose a far more significant climate risk. Due to this fact, more consumers have been choosing bio-diesel blends.
Energy Efficiency
The best overall value comes from modern oil furnaces. These happen to be very easy to maintain. Comparatively, they are also much easier to repair. Fuel oil units last longer. Also, they are more robust, very reliable, and often come with interchangeable parts. Moreover, their AFUE ratings are at 95 percent and above, which shows just how energy-efficient they actually are. Actually, one reports shows that in a well-insulated home, a state-of-the-art furnace can result in a reducing in heating costs by up to 40 percent. Much like all other heating systems, however, they need maintenance each year in order to optimize their efficiency and performance. R.F. Ohl offers heater tune-ups that help optimize the performance of your system.
Overall Safety
Heating oil is non-explosive, which is hardly the case with natural gas. In fact, fuel oil will not even burn until its vaporized. Due to this fact, this is a very safe energy source. Heating oil does not ignite near an ignition source. However, natural gas is highly flammable. Gas will explode whenever it’s around an ignition source. Inspections of gas equipment and gas lines for potential leaks is necessary. This can make your natural gas heating system significantly more costly. Moreover, for safety reasons, it is important to install gas detectors. Explosions caused by natural gas are hardly unheard of.
Cost
Oil heat prices tend to be significantly lower than natural gas prices in certain areas throughout the United States. According to numbers shared by Energy Answers Today, this has been the case for two decades. Supply and demand ultimately determine the price of these two commodities. There are currently more oil deposits in the world than there are deposits of natural gas. To put things differently, natural gas prices have a higher likelihood of increasing due to scarcity and high demand. Thus, when you compare home heating oil prices to the cost of natural gas, you will pay a lot less for heating oil.
Home Heating Oil Lehighton PA
The two main fuels in the United States are home heating oil and natural gas. Home heating oil, however, is often the most attractive choice due to various factors like environmental impact, safety, price, service plans, and overall efficiency.
When you are in need of the best heating oil companies near me, contact R.F. Ohl. We offer outstanding heating oil prices and fast delivery times. R.F. Ohl has a trusted name in the Lehigh Valley for providing reliable and professional services. We also offer a full line of HVAC services by our licensed and experienced HVAC contractors. Get ready for the winter by filling your fuel tank and tuning up your heater. Even better, you won’t have to pay a fortune for our high quality services. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
Some of the areas we service include: Ashfield, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Parryville, and these zip codes: 18212, 18229, 18235, 18244 as well as all surrounding areas in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
Contact us today or give us a call at (610) 377-1098 if you have any questions.