Heating with Oil vs Gas – Should You Switch?

If you are alarmed over the rising cost of home heating fuel oil, one way to fight back is to make the switch to a natural gas furnace or boiler. The biggest consideration when comparing oil vs gas heat is that the prices for natural gas have remained stable while the price for oil continues to be volatile in response to changing market conditions. Approximately 84 percent of the natural gas that is used in the United States comes from sources in this country. Therefore, customers are not at the mercy of foreign suppliers and overseas government regulation of the oil supply.

Why Switch to Natural Gas?

Heating your home with natural gas has additional benefits over oil heat:

• You never have to worry about running out of gas or having to wait for a scheduled oil delivery. Natural gas is delivered on demand, directly to your home via gas lines. If you are not currently connected to gas service and it is available on your street, your home can be connected for a fee.
• Pay for what you use each month. You may normally pay upfront for an oil delivery, but with natural gas, your gas meter is read each month and you are billed for the amount of gas used.
• High-efficiency gas furnaces are more efficient than the highest-efficiency oil furnace because gas burns cleaner than oil. Another advantage is that you will be contributing less pollution to the environment.

Converting Existing Furnace or Boiler to Natural Gas

Depending upon the age of the oil-burning furnace in your New Lenox, IL, home, it may be possible to convert it to natural gas. Some types of furnaces are easily converted by replacing certain parts, including the oil burner. A burner that is made specifically for use with an oil furnace must be replaced with one specific to natural gas heat.

In some cases, it may not be possible or it may be cost prohibitive to convert your existing furnace to natural gas. If this occurs, we would recommend replacing your entire furnace with a natural gas furnace. This is often less expensive than you may think because natural gas companies generally will offer new customers a rebate for switching to gas heat from oil.

Some types of boilers may also be converted to natural gas; however, it is often better to have a new and more efficient condensing gas boiler installed. This type of boiler may provide you with savings of up to 30 percent less than it costs to heat your home with oil.

If you are fed up with the rising costs of to heat your New Lenox, IL, home each winter, then it is time to speak with the heating experts at Climate Master Mechanical Contractors. We can evaluate your existing oil system and determine whether a conversion to natural gas or a new installation would be best for your home and your budget.