Even though oil heating fuel is a safe, clean way to heat your home, we often get asked by homeowners if they should make the switch to propane. Converting to clean, green propane can make sense for many people. There are 4 main benefits homeowners can expect when switching from oil to propane.
Cost Savings: Older oil furnaces have a typical efficiency rating of about 60 – meaning that only 60 cents of every dollar you spend goes to producing heat for your home. A typical propane furnace operates at 90 percent efficiency or higher, which means a cost savings of at least 30 cents for every dollar you spend on propane heat. As a general rule of thumb, propane is cheaper per BTU than heating oil. However, seasonal factors and location also play a role. The only way you can get a proper price comparison in your oil vs. propane furnace decision is to get the precise costs that will apply to your home for each fuel type.
It’s Versatile: Propane can do more than just heat your home, it can also power your oven/range, dry your clothes, provide hot water, and even heat your pool. It can also be used to power your generator during a power outage!
Insurance and Liability: Many home insurance policies place strict rules on how oil tanks should be placed, operated, and maintained to your coverage. Depending on the fine print of your policy, that could mean having to replace an oil furnace before the equipment even wears out! Oil leaks are also very difficult and expensive to clean up–just one gallon of oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water. A mere pinhole in your tank can empty hundreds of gallons of oil. Cleanup of an oil spill can involve everything from replacing the tank and supply lines and removing contaminated soil to replacing your home’s foundation. While a propane leak is dangerous, the gas permeates the air vs. the ground around it.
Environmental Impact: Propane is clean burning and produces far fewer emissions than oil. Just like burning coal, wood, gasoline, and natural gas, burning heating oil produces carbon– a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Propane has a lower carbon content than fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and ethanol.
If you are looking for a safe, versatile, reliable, and affordable alternative to heating oil, propane is the answer. Contact us today to learn how affordable making the switch can be!
