New Jersey residents who are facing an expensive repair to get their old oil heating equipment up and running again may think about switching to natural gas to heat their home. The reason is simple: they think this move could save them a lot of money. And saving money in these uncertain times is on most people’s minds. But you need to dig deeper.
To start with, the upfront cost to convert to natural gas can often cost you thousands of dollars. And it’s really doesn’t make sense to switch to a less efficient fuel when safe oilheat can keep you warm even on the coldest of New Jersey nights.
Safe at home with oil heat
Being safe at home is just one of the many reasons people prefer to heat their home with oil instead of natural gas. With everything that’s happening in the world today, the last thing you want is to feel unsafe at home.
For starters, heating oil cannot explode! The oil in your tank is as likely to explode as the water in your backyard swimming pool. It’s that safe.
Plus, with an oil tank on your property, you can always count on having a secure, on-site supply at your home. Heating oil is easily transported and handled by highly trained professionals, who use equipment and techniques that keep safety at the forefront.
Contrast all that to natural gas delivery. If an underground natural gas pipeline gets damaged, customers may lose their supply until repairs get done. You cannot stock up on natural gas when the weather gets cold! Occasionally, you will also read sad news about a natural gas explosion that took lives.
Additionally, unlike natural gas, an oil heating system poses a very low risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If an oil burner malfunctions (most often due to a lack of maintenance), the safety devices in the unit will typically shut the oil furnace or oil boiler off. You cannot get that peace of mind with a natural gas boiler or furnace.
Heating oil = great value
If you’re wondering about natural gas vs. oil cost, overall heating oil prices have remained fairly stable over the last few years because of historic levels of domestic production. (Recently, crude oil prices plummeted to historic lows, which in turn drives down the price you pay for your heating oil.)
Heating oil is also less expensive than natural gas when you apply an apples-to-apples comparison—a gallon of heating oil generates 40% more Btu’s of heat than an equivalent amount of natural gas. That means you get much more for your heating energy dollar with oil! What’s more, gas utilities impose a surcharge on their customers that adds to the cost of heating a home with natural gas.
Modern oil burners also emit near-zero levels of pollution; heating with oil today means no odors, soot or other residue in your home. Plus, widespread use of ultra-low sulfur Bioheat® fuel, combined with cutting-edge emissions-control technologies, reduce already-low emissions even further.
Heating with oil—the more you know, the more you’ll appreciate using it! Browse our website to read more about oil heat.