Why Oil is the Best Home Heating Option
There are many different home heating options and, at Oil 4 Wales, we think oil is a really good one. Here’s why:
If you’re deciding on what type of heating you want for your home, click here to find out why oil is the best home heating option for you.
When reworking the heating system in your home, or simply planning out a newly-built home, weighing the pros and cons of different heating options can be tough.
It used to be simple, you could throw some wood in the fireplace and be good to go. Now we are bombarded with hundreds of brands, systems, and pieces of information that tell us one is better than the other.
For a number of reasons that we’ll go over, we advocate that oil is the best home heating fuel option. That isn’t to say that there are pros and cons to the others, because there certainly are.
This article will go over some of the fine details in home heating options to help you choose the best one for your home.
Most Common Home Heating Options
While there are lots of heating options to choose from, we’re going to cover the ones that you’re most likely to consider.
The Boiler
Boilers are a classic heating system that most of us are familiar with. They operate by heating air and conducting it through a duct system within one’s home. They are most commonly run on gas, electricity, and oil.
While there are a number of extremely efficient models on the market, boilers prices can get a little pricey. That being said, there are certainly ways to adjust the efficiency once you do make the purchase.
Top tip: boilers can be picked between judging by their AFUE ratings. A rule of thumb is that the higher the rating, the lower your energy bills will be.
Boilers
Boilers operate in an entirely different manner than boilers. Where the boiler heats air, a boiler heats water using gas, electricity, or other fuels. Additionally, while a boiler pumps air through ducts, a boiler operates through radiators.
You will find more radiators and boilers in older homes. A common boiler heating option is radiant floor heat, which transfers heat through the floors of your home. This method works best when the floor is ceramic tile.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps operate in much the same way as, and often are, air conditioning units. These machines intake and absorb heat from the earth, wind, or water, run it through their system and pump it out into your home.
Heat pumps are pretty energy efficient, but can run a little thin when it gets too hot or too cold.
Oil vs Natural Gas
Oil and natural gas are very common fuel sources in home heating systems. You may be stuck in-between them, not knowing which to choose. There are a number of factors to consider, so it’s important to understand both sides before you make a choice.
Which to Choose?
Oil, contrary to popular belief, is in great supply. In fact, petroleum and oil reserves are higher than they have ever been.
A perk of oil is that it has been shown to be less expensive than natural gas over the last two decades. When considering that, think of the fact that natural gas is non-renewable, meaning that shortly the cost will increase as scarcity increases.
You wouldn’t want to be paying ridiculous amounts of money in the future, simply due to the fact that natural gas prices are through the roof.
If you already have an oil system, it may automatically be the wiser choice to keep it there or have it refurbished. The installation costs of natural gas systems are just short of £10,000.
In fact, that estimate may be low. There is a significant amount of interior homework that would need to be done after because technicians have to access your ducts, your chimney, and your plumbing.
Finally, and most importantly, oil produces extremely low emissions, as well as operating more effectively in terms of sheer operating power. Additionally, oil systems last an average of 30 years while natural gas systems last around half of that.
Health and Safety
An often overlooked aspect of home heating is that a faulty or inefficient system could put you and your family in danger. There are a lot of horror stories about oil in general, but when it comes to it, the substance is not very flammable at all.
Natural gas, however, can be. The warning signs of a faulty oil system are smoke, smells, and soot. Natural gas leaks can be difficult to identify and cause death in some cases.
In fact, natural gas leaks are one of the leading factors in monoxide death. In times of stress, say, a winter storm or a period of immobility, oil systems are going to be more reliable. A natural gas system line could be cut by a drill, pounded by a hammer, whatever.
The last thing that you want when you’re in a time of distress is to be worrying about the fact that it is so hot or so cold. Or, even worse, that there is a natural gas leak to add on to the problem.
Installation
You should decide on the most efficient home heating system for your new house or replacement system. There are more options than the ones listed above, but those are by far the most common methods of home heating.
When deciding on the system, make sure to examine the pros and cons of using oil instead of heat. The installation will likely be cheaper, and you’ll be able to save a lot of money on those costs that would otherwise be going toward expensive natural gas.
Consult with an HVAC Professional
Making large decisions on your home can be done independently, but if you really want to know exactly what you’re getting into it’s wise to consult with someone who does these things for a living. Getting a quote is simple and cheap, and it might save you a lot of money in the long run.
Search around for an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) professional near you. These are people that will understand the finely-printed differences between oil and natural gas, as well as which one will work best for your home.
If you’re having difficulty deciding which home heating option to choose, contact our Oil 4 Wales boiler care team and we will be happy to help!
