Your parents swear by heating oil.
Your neighbors have been loyal propane customers for 20 years.
What’s the be answer for you and your home?
Around 20% of the population of the United States lives in rural areas. While rural residents have the advantage of enjoying wide open spaces and stunning vistas, heating their homes can be more of a challenge. If you’re a recent transplant from a metro area, you may be grappling with the question of propane vs. oil heating.
If you’ve got an aging oil tank on your property, this is also a great time to see whether making the switch would be to your benefit. Oil tanks present a lot of environmental risks that homeowners need to think about.
Let’s take a look at propane vs. oil heating to understand the differences and which is right for you.
What Is Propane?
Propane gas is produced either as a by-product of natural gas or during the process of refining petroleum. It can be used to fuel a wide range of appliances, including:
- Furnaces
- Water heaters
- Refrigerators
- Ranges
- Ovens
- Clothes dryers
- Fireplaces
Many appliances that would normally run on natural gas can be adapted to run on propane. To use propane, you’ll need a large propane tank outside your home. You can arrange regular deliveries to ensure you always have enough on hand for your needs.
You can either monitor levels yourself or have the gas company do that for you. When they see that levels are getting low, they’ll automatically schedule a delivery so that you never run out.
Propane Benefits
Prices for both propane and heating oil vary throughout the year and from region to region. To compare them accurately, you would need to contact both suppliers before performing your calculations. But bear in mind that both can fluctuate due to different market forces.
Generally, propane costs a little less than heating oil per gallon.
Propane appliances are also less complicated as propane does not need to be pumped. It also ignites easily. They may cost a little more upfront than those that use heating oil, but they are less likely to require repairs or servicing.
Propane is a non-toxic substance. Even if a tank developed a leak, this wouldn’t damage the local environment. A heating oil leak can be disastrous and extremely expensive to clean up.
Propane also burns cleanly, producing very few emissions. Propane tanks usually have larger capacities than heating oil tanks. This means that you need to schedule fewer deliveries, which is more convenient and allows you to stock up when prices are lower.
Propane Drawbacks
While propane burns cleanly, it is still a fossil fuel. It also has a lower BTU rating than heating oil, so you need to use more of it to produce the same amount of heat.
Propane is also highly combustible, so you need to take precautions. It’s safest to allow qualified contractors to install propane lines and appliances in your home.
What Is Heating Oil?
Heating oil is also a petroleum product that is sold in liquid form and is very similar to diesel fuel. It is mainly used for furnaces and boilers. It is stored in large tanks either above ground or underground and is delivered in tanks.
The IRS requires that heating oil is dyed red. This shows that it is exempt from taxes applied to fuels for vehicles.
Heating Oil Benefits
Although propane usually costs less than heating oil, it has a higher BTU output per gallon. This means that it generates more heat per gallon and lasts longer. So although you may pay more for it upfront, it could cost you less in the long run.
You may also find that appliances that run on heating oil are cheaper than propane models.
Heating Oil Drawbacks
Heating oil needs a pump to move it from the tank to the appliance, unlike gas that flows naturally when released from the tank. It doesn’t burn as cleanly as propane, so appliances will need regular servicing to remove buildups of soot.
Heating oil also releases more CO2 than propane:
- Heating oil – 161.3 pounds/million Btu
- Propane – 139.0 pounds/million Btu
While neither of them is a sustainable choice, heating oil emits much more pollution than propane.
Heating oil can have a devastating impact on the local environment if the tank leaks. Underground tanks are especially susceptible to leaking. The older the tank is, the more likely it is to develop a leak.
If your tank does start leaking, it is very unlikely that your homeowners’ insurance will cover it. Leaks usually have to be reported to the state Department of Environmental Quality, and cleanups must follow strict standards. In the worst cases, the EPA warns that corrective action can cost up to $1 million.
Propane vs. Oil Heating – Which One’s Best?
There are pros and cons to both, but if you have a choice, propane is the way to go.
It is a cleaner fuel, and you can use it to run a much wider range of appliances. It generally costs a little less than heating oil, and it’s convenient to schedule deliveries. As it is held in liquid form, you can store much more propane in your tank, making it more convenient.
Finally, heating oil can ruin the local environment if it leaks. Even if the worst happens and your propane tank leaks, it will not damage the area around your home.
Choose Kauffman Gas for All Your Propane Needs
In the battle of propane vs. oil heating, there’s a clear winner!
At Kauffman Gas, we’ve been proudly supplying propane to customers in Pennsylvania and Delaware for 75 years. Whether you need a new propane tank at your home or a regular delivery service, we’ve got you covered.
Call us at (610) 364-5176 to learn more about why propane is the natural choice for your home. Alternatively, click here to reach out online, and we’ll be in touch soon.
