The Benefits of Oil Heat
Ask any oil heat consumer if they would like to switch to another heating fuel option and you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone that’s jumping at the chance to make the change. That’s because today’s oil heat and heating equipment offer so many great benefits to consumers—and to the environment—that it’s a no brainer to stay with this affordable, safe, efficient, clean, and reliable fuel.
Benefits of Home Heating Oil & Oil Heat Equipment
It’s Clean
- Oil is non-toxic, contains no carcinogens, and is biodegradable.
- According to the EPA, oil burners are one of the cleanest combustion sources. New oil burners boast near-zero emissions of smoke or combustible discharge.
- Furnaces are cleaner, too—energy efficiency upgrades and a new high-efficiency heating system can often cut your furnace’s pollution output in half.
It’s Affordable
- Heating oil prices this winter were the lowest we’ve seen in years, and prices are expected to stay low for the next heating season. Compared to the 2014-2015 heating season, there was on average an $0.89 drop in price per gallon for US residential oil heat consumers during the 2015-2016 season. For a 275 gallon tank, the average household saved nearly $245 per full-tank fill-up compared to the previous heating season!
- By upgrading your older heating system to a new high-efficiency system, you can often cut your fuel bills in half each year, giving you a potential payback of your system upgrade in under five years…
- …which also means updating oil equipment can actually SAVE you money in the long run. Who doesn’t love a return on investment?
It’s Efficient
- Oil burners provide the hottest flames, which means that oil heats your home faster and uses less fuel to do so.
- Oil puts out more heat per energy units (BTUs) than other fuels.
- Upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace or boiler can increase your system’s efficiency by at least 28%.
It’s Reliable
- You can store your oil tank(s) on your own property, where you have control over your fuel supply. Plus, if there’s ever a need for emergency service, your local oil heat provider will often be out ASAP to help solve the problem.
- As a customer of a local oil dealer, you often have the opportunity to choose which services you need, such as automatic oil deliveries for added peace of mind.
- 14 million other homes have chosen to heat with oil and continue to enjoy all the benefits!
It’s Safe
- Oil is a non-explosive fuel and won’t burn unless it’s preheated to 140 degrees, so there is very little chance that it would ever ignite.
- If your oil heating system malfunctions, it will produce clear warning signs like smoke, odors, or soot.
- Oil tank storage has no threat to the health of your family or the environment, and tanks are built to last decades. There are also affordable services available to protect your oil tank and proactively prevent it from leaking—check with your local oil heat provider to see if they offer a tank protection program.
- Many local oil companies provide 24/7 emergency service in the event an issue does arise.
Source: South Central Pennsylvania Energy Association