Written on: November 11, 2024
Your energy choices matter. If you’re planning an equipment upgrade, or shopping for or building a new home, you are likely considering all your options. And you should. We have a range of options in our area, including propane and natural gas (if you’re in the right area).
Heating oil offers several advantages for home heating in terms of efficiency, ecological impact, and cost-effectiveness. Here are three notable benefits:
For a number of years, the story was that natural gas was better for the environment than heating oil. And while both heating oil and natural gas are both fossil fuels, science has been working to make heating oil a cleaner option. Today’s heating oil is very different from the stuff used even twenty years ago. Most states in the Northeast, including Connecticut, have committed to only using ultra-low sulfur heating oil, which reduces sulfur content in the fuel by 99 percent. That means it burns extremely cleanly, reducing emissions by more than 70% compared to the old type of heating oil.
Marandola takes it a step further, by delivering B5 Bioheat, an even cleaner and more environmentally friendly form of heating oil. Bioheat fuel is a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biofuels made from renewable resources such as animal fats, recycled restaurant oils and plant oils such as soybean. Bioheat emits up to 80% less sulfur dioxide as well as 20% less carbon dioxide than traditional heating oils. Fewer greenhouse gases mean cleaner air and a more sustainable future for everyone!
Heating oil, including biofuel blends and ultra-low sulfur heating oil, has a higher BTU output per gallon. That means it will warm up your home faster than other types of fuels. What’s more, the newest oil-fired heating systems are highly efficient, often achieving efficiency ratings over 90%, which means they waste very little energy during the heating process. And, because it’s so clean-burning, ultra-low sulfur heating oil improves the efficiency of your heating system—saving you money. It also helps your system last longer and reduces breakdowns.
The cost of any fuel will be driven by price fluctuations based on a range of factors, from geopolitics to the weather. Gallon for gallon, natural gas may cost less than heating oil, but heating oil’s efficiency means you can use less fuel to get, and stay, comfortable. Even under extremely cold temperatures, when you’ll need to use more of any fuel to get more warmth, heating oil will get you there faster.
But there are ways you can save on heating oil costs that you don’t get from a natural gas utility. Marandola offers pricing and payment options that let you capture a lower price per gallon, including price cap, pre-buy and fixed price plans. Another way you can save: Fill up your tank in the “off” season, when oil prices are typically lowest.
Don’t forget about operating costs. A heating oil-fired furnace can last 28 years, while a heating oil-fired boiler can last 25 years. The life expectancy of a natural gas furnace or boiler can be as little as 10 years. And if you want to switch to natural gas, you need to replace your equipment and connect from your house to the main line—which can require excavation and additional costs.
When you heat your home with oil, you need a company you can count on for reliable heating oil delivery service. That inherently means offering fair, transparent pricing, but it also means offering true reliability. That’s what families and businesses in Litchfield County and beyond know they get from Marandola. They count on us for every-day needs and convenient services like automatic delivery (so you never have to think about calling for fuel) and budget friendly payment options that take the sting out of winter bills.
Contact us today and let us know how we can help you!