Four Reasons to Choose Oil Heat for Your Hudson Valley Home

Heating oil has been keeping homes warm since the 1920s, when the first forced air heating systems were introduced. Yet it remains a misunderstood fuel – thanks largely to an image created by the “dirty” oil prevalent up through the 1960s and 70s.

But heating oil – especially today’s ultra-low sulfur varieties – has come a long way in forty years, improving across the board in environmental and efficiency performance. Today it’s one of the best ways to heat your home.

Here are four reasons that make oil heat a great choice for your home, particularly when compared to electric-based heating systems:

1. It’s safe: Do you know what would happen if you dropped a lighted match in a puddle of heating oil? About the same thing that would happen if you dropped it in water. Heating oil can be ignited only by an advanced burning system in your oil burner or furnace.
2. It’s energy efficient: New oil heat boilers and furnaces range from 83 to 95 percent efficient. While that may not be as high as some gas-burning systems, that’s offset by the fact that heating oil produces more BTUs per gallon than gas (about 130,00 vs. 95,000 for propane), which means you don’t have to burn as much of it to stay warm. Either option is a big upgrade from electrical heating systems, especially in colder weather when heat pumps lose most of their efficiency.
3. It’s clean-burning: Today’s oil heat is 95 percent cleaner than in 1970, and new oil heating systems produce no soot, dirt or odor. In fact, one BTU of heat produced by a new and properly serviced oil heating system releases fewer pollutants – and less carbon monoxide – than one BTU produced by gas. Heating oil burns so cleanly that it is not subject to clean air requirements.
4. It keeps you warm and comfortable: Oil-heated homes are comfortable even during the coldest days of winter because heating oil can generate temperatures that reach 2,200 degrees F – far higher temps than an electric heat pump can muster.

Want to learn more about the benefits of heating oil, or sign up for heating oil delivery in the Hudson Valley? Contact the expert sales team at Bottini today!