Why Use Oil Heat?

It’s The SMART Choice

• Oilheat is the Choice for Efficiency
  • Efficiency ratings of new Oilheat appliances range from 83% to 95%. That means in dollars that you get more heat for your dollar than other heat sources.
• Oilheat is the Choice Economically
  • The best way to compare energy prices in your market is to look at the price per unit of heat value. Scientists measure heat value in British Thermal Units or BTUs for short. A BTU is the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water one degree F. It is about the heat of a birthday candle flame. 
    • Heat Oil has 138,690 BTUs per gallon.
    • Natural Gas has 1,030 BTUs per cubic foot. 135 Cubic feet equals the heat content of one gallon of oil.
    • Kerosene has 131,890 BTUs per gallon. 1.05 gallons equals the heat content of one gallon of oil.
    • Propane has 91,500 BTUs per gallon. 1.52 gallons equals the heat of one gallon of oil.
    • Electricity has 3,413 BTUs per kilowatt hour (kwh). 40.6 kwh equals the heat content of one gallon of oil.
    • Wood One full cord of wood has the heat value of 95 gallons of oil.
    • Anthracite Coal has 12,000 BTUs per pound. About 12 pounds equals the heat content of one gallon of oil. When comparing the unit costs for the various fuels, remember to include any taxes and meter or service charges the gas or electric companies add to the bill as well as gas tank rental fees.
• Oilheat is the Choice for Value
  • Adjusted for inflation, heating oil prices today are virtually unchanged from 30 years ago. The increased demand for oil by China and India as well as speculative bidding on crude oil futures has caused the volatility in oil prices as well as all energy prices.
  • Remember: The rise in crude oil affects all energy costs including rising natural gas, propane prices, coal, etc.
• Oilheat is the Choice for Freedom
  • Utilities can and do raise their prices. The consumer has NO choice about where to buy. Changing fuel sources can be costly economically and give less heat efficiency for the dollar in comparing “apples to apples and oranges to oranges”. The consumer has NO choice about where to buy.
• Oilheat is the Choice for Safety
  • If you dropped a burning match into a barrel of oil, the match would go out, just as if you had dropped it in water. Oil must be vaporized before it will ignite or burn.
• Oilheat is the Choice for Comfort
  • We have reports from former clients who have gone to the expense of installing electric heat pumps that they are disappointed with the lack of comfort in winter. Another negative is the cool air that blows even in winter.
  • Traditionally, heat pumps do not last as long as oil heating equipment—some less than 1/3 of the time. When replacing a heat pump in the 8-12 year time period, the cost would be about the same as an oil furnace which would last up to 30 years.

*The information has come from The National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) working in conjunction with the U. S. Department of Energy on research to improve heating oil and oilheat equipment. For more information about oilheat visit the website: www.oilheatAmerica.com