Heating Oil or Propane Home Heating?

Here Are the Pros and Cons to Help You Decide

When it comes to heating your home, there’s a lot to consider. While there’s growing pressure to switch to electric heat, that could be the least efficient option for our climate. That leaves heating oil and propane. So, what’s the best option for your home? If your current system is fairly new and performing well, there’s no reason to change. But if it’s time to replace your old heating system, or you’re building a new home, it’s smart to consider the benefits and downsides of each—and see why propane could be the best option.

Here’s a quick guide to some of the bigger points:

Benefits of Propane Heating

• Propane equipment runs more efficiently than heating oil equipment.
• Propane doesn’t produce significant carbon dioxide; in fact propane is approved as a “clean fuel” by the US Government.
• Propane heating equipment requires less maintenance and lasts longer than heating oil-fueled equipment.
• Propane is nontoxic and nonpoisonous, so it doesn’t contaminate groundwater or soil if it leaks – which means propane tanks can be safely buried out of sight.
• Propane is super versatile, and can be used to power other appliances such as ranges, dishwashers, laundry machines, and water heaters as well as grills and fireplaces. It can also be used to power a generator that will keep your home running when the electric lines are down.
• Propane gas is easy and safe to transport because it gets compressed into a liquid—you may have transported it yourself when you’ve exchanged or refilled a portable cylinder for your grill.
• All the propane used in the U.S. is produced in North America. So every gallon of propane you buy contributes to America’s energy independence.

Cons of Propane

• Propane produces fewer BTUs per gallon than heating oil—you need to burn more of it to achieve the same amount of heat.
• Propane-burning equipment often costs more to purchase than heating oil-based systems
• Propane is combustible in air, so precautions are needed to operate the equipment safely.

Benefits of Oil Heat

• Heating oil has a higher BTU output per gallon and is used up more slowly than propane; this could mean you will pay less to heat your house with heating oil, even if the per-gallon cost of propane is less.
• Equipment generally costs less to purchase.
• Ultra-low sulfur heating oil burns much more cleanly and particulate emissions have been reduced significantly from the already low levels of the past few decades.
• New heating oil systems now burn fuel 99.9% cleanly, according to studies conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven Laboratory.

Downsides of Heating Oil

• Heating oil tanks – especially older steel-lined ones – can corrode from the inside and develop leaks, which can be extremely expensive to clean up – a cost that is often not covered by homeowner’s insurance.
• Most heating oil comes from offshore sources, which means its price is subject to international market forces and is therefore more volatile than propane.
• Oil furnaces need to be cleaned more frequently than propane furnaces, and tend to require more maintenance.
• In most homes that are heated by oil, other appliances (such as water heaters, ranges, and clothes dryers) are run by electricity, which is not as efficient as propane.

The Bottom Line

Compared to heating oil, which has basically just one use, propane offers great value due to its versatility. Propane appliances are very efficient, meaning they waste very little fuel in the combustion process. Propane water heaters generate much more hot water at a cheaper cost per gallon. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, homes that heat water with propane rather than electricity can see average annual savings of $174.

Midway also offers great value: We make it easy to do business with us with convenient automatic delivery service, budget-friendly payment options to keep bills manageable, and friendly and responsive customer service reps to take your call.

There’s a reason homeowners and businesses in southwestern Virginia rely on Midway for propane service. Contact us today to learn more.