When heating your home, homeowners in the Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, area have a choice between two different furnace fuels: gas vs. oil. Consider factors such as fuel supply and cost, maintenance, heating efficiency, and installation when thinking about gas vs. oil furnace heating for your home.
Fuel Supply
A gas furnace typically relies on a supply of gas fed directly to your home through distribution pipes. If a gas service interruption occurs, your furnace won’t get the fuel needed to heat your home. An oil furnace, however, pulls fuel from an independent storage tank at your house, but you’ll need to watch the fuel level and arrange for fuel delivery.
Maintenance
Oil and gas heat differently. Further, annual maintenance is more extensive on an oil furnace, as more dirt and soot build up in the furnace than in a gas furnace. Oil furnace maintenance typically requires a service contract commitment, but for a gas furnace, you can schedule your annual maintenance at your discretion.
Installation and Fuel Costs
Typically, monthly heating bills for using oil higher than heating costs for natural gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The price of oil can also be more volatile than gas because much of the fuel oil supply in the U.S. is imported.
If you’re buying a new furnace, the price of a gas furnace and the cost of installation can be higher than installation for an oil furnace, especially if you need to build gas piping to your house.
Efficiency
To check the efficiency of a furnace, take a look at its annual fuel utilization, or AFUE, rating. A higher rating means a higher efficiency. A gas furnace will typically have a higher AFUE rating than an oil furnace, but be sure to check a unit’s AFUE rating to compare different units.
Our New Age Air service professionals install and service both oil and gas furnaces in the Phoenixville area. Find out more about the gas and oil furnaces we service or call 610-298-0271 to speak to one of our experts about your winter heating needs.
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