Recommended Heating Sources: Key Considerations

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A HVAC contractor can explain the variations between gas and oil furnaces and the benefits or drawbacks of each one. While natural gas is the leading source for heating in the U.S. and in Europe oil is still widely used in a few regions and remains the number two heating source .

Natural gas is available from the utility company and it is made available to homes through service lines. Oil is typically stored in tanks either outside of the home or somewhere beyond the main living quarters. Both types of systems are much cleaner burning that older heating sources like coal. Natural gas provides an energy content of roughly 100k BTU per 100 cubic feet. Oil produces about 139 BTU per gallon. It’s difficult to compare the two in terms of energy efficiency as they appear in different forms. The best way to compare is almost always to understand how the costs for each are determined. The costs for heating with gas may be difficult when a homeowner is also cooking with gas. A typical bill does not contain breakdown information for a variety of appliances. Heating with a heating oil furnace on the other hand, can be much easier to calculate by knowing how much fuel is purchased, just how much the tank can hold and exactly how much is left in the tank.

Oil powered furnaces depend upon a more elaborate burner system with several burners, as opposed to one for gas powered furnaces. Therefore, gas furnaces are typically less costly to install and can also be easily fitted to forced air heating systems. Oil furnaces are frequently retrofitted to older coal burning furnaces though some conversions to natural gas have likewise occurred.

A heating contractor can provide the best information on which kind of system will work best for your home, and also the best brands, such as Carrier furnaces. Sometimes the issue of availability may present an obstacle. When there is no natural gas service in a particular area another source will be needed. Heating oil is frequently supplied to a home owner by a delivery truck which enables it to be delivered any time in lots of communities. There are actually both good and bad aspects of each type of heating source. Many people claim gas in cleaner and healthier for the environment. However, it requires a supply network to be available. When it is not available an alternative solution such as propane may be used, though it is becoming less common.

To understand which is more beneficial in terms of cost one must look at current as well as historical prices,to get a better overall picture. It’s not enough to determine which sources produces more energy, as not all the energy produced may be used by the heating system. Overall, oil systems are more expensive to install and repair but gas furnaces need regular maintenance by an HVAC contractor also.