Your choice of a furnace depends on several factors. With over 50% of the consumers using gas and only 8% using oil, it would seem the issue would be already decided by someone just entering the heating market place. Normally, people simply mimic what's around them. But, if you're looking at deciding between the best source of heating fuels and the most efficient furnaces, you will find it somewhat confusing and difficult to choose. But, if you're simply comparing fuel prices, it will be an easy choice.
BTU's And AFUE's
The use of oil makes since because an oil BTU produces more heat than a BTU of gas. Burning oil heat does however have more environmental pollutants than gas. It produces both sulphur and soot which is often sent up the chimney of the home to escape into the atmosphere. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is 80% to 90% for an oil furnace. Oil furnaces cost significantly less to install than gas, however, the maintenance on an oil furnace could run you at least $100 each year. It is mandatory that your furnace be serviced annually. The oil nozzle must be cleaned and the chimney must be cleaned of soot buildup.
Environment Friendly
The gas furnace is cleaner for the environment and it runs quieter than an oil furnace. The AFUE rating for gas furnaces is generally higher than oil reaching 89% to 98%. The cost of a gas furnace reaches levels that start at 10% to 25% higher than an oil furnace. Gas furnaces basically have not mandatory maintenance needs.
The Cost Of Fuel
The cost of fuel is often the deciding factor when choosing between an oil and gas furnace. The price of oil had increased from $1.63 per gallon ten years ago to $3.83 in 2013. The average homeowner has a 275 to 550 gallon tank for heating purposes. That equals $448.25 to $896.50 per tank ten years ago and in 2013 is was $1053.25 to $2106.50. Natural Gas prices have also risen. Gas prices have been very volatile swinging from as little as two dollars per thousand cubic feet to eleven dollars per thousand cubic feet within the last ten years. The actual price paid is $2558 per household for oil and $690 per household for gas. At the end of the day, this may be the deciding factor.
Choosing between a gas furnace and an oil furnace is not that difficult when you consider that gas lines are not available everywhere. It may also not be difficult to decide if you're on a limited budget. You'll definitely, choose gas every time.
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