Oil or Gas?
How do you choose which type of heating system is best for you? Most of us just end up with whatever is in our house when we buy it. If you're building a new home, you may have the opportunity to choose oil, gas, electric, or propane. Often the choice is determined by what is available in your area. Just like with most topics, everyone seems to have an opinion.
It is difficult to compare the cost of oil heat versus gas heat, as the units of measurement differ. Gas is priced in terms, with one them being equal to about 100,000 btu. Oil is priced in gallons, and as of this writing the average price per gallon in my area seems to be around 2.50.
With gas heat, you are generally limited to whichever servicing carrier is in your area. You can pay monthly, with your biggest bills coming in the colder months, or you can go on the budget plan, which just means that you pay in more equally distributed installments over the course of a year.
If you go with oil, you will have many choices of suppliers available to you, and will even receive calls from salespeople offering deals. Often, you can lock in a price before the cold season hits, which can save you some money in the long run.
Basically, the cost of heating your home has gone up dramatically, no matter which form of energy you choose. Probably the best thing to do in order to save money is to try to practice some energy-saving steps. For example, properly insulating your home, and having windows that seal well, will help your budget. Also, although there is an upfront cost, upgrading from an older system to a newer one, or choosing a higher-efficiency system, can save you money over time. One statistic that I saw said that older gas furnaces and boilers run at about 65 percent efficiency, while newer ones run at between 78 and 97 percent efficiency. While the 97 percent one may cost $500 more, you may earn back that $500 in the first 5 years. If your system lasts thirty years, then you have definitely saved money.