You should never take picking a furnace for your home lightly. Once you have made a decision, you are stuck with it for at least 15 years. It is essential that you examine all options before making your final choice. While oil and gas furnaces both have their pros and cons, there are a few simple characteristics that give oil heating the edge.
Let us start with why some people believe gas heat is the better option. With gas heat, prices tend to be lower and more stable, and gas furnaces are slightly more efficient. That admission will have some people stop and investigate no further. Moreover, you can connect directly to a utility company, and will not need on-site storage. However, if you think this makes the choice a no-brainer, you would be wrong.
Oil heat has a much greater impact and brings more comfort in colder weather. An oil furnace provides more heat per BTU than any other heating source. Moreover, a gas hookup to a utility company is not available to everyone. A storage tank is a small tradeoff for a warm and comfortable home.
Additionally, when comparing the efficiency of new oil furnaces to gas heat, the difference is minimal. The new oil furnaces have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of up to 85 percent, which is as good as or better than other heat sources. Furthermore, innovations have decreased furnace emissions 10-fold since the 1960s, making it almost as environmentally friendly as gas.
Finally, oil furnaces cost less than a gas oil furnace. Moreover, oil furnaces are regularly and easily serviced by your oil delivery company. Best of all, the life expectancy of an oil furnace is 30 years, while a gas furnace is less than half that. Therefore, the overall cost of oil heat is not more expensive than gas heat, making an oil furnace the better option.
What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about choosing an oil or gas furnace, or need more information, please contact us.