Comparing Gas Furnaces Vs. Oil Furnaces

 

The decision between an oil furnace and a gas furnace is not always as easy as some people make belief. The availability of the needed fuel, the cost of purchasing and installing a furnace, the furnace's efficiency, as well as its maintenance/ repair costs, comprise some of the factors that come into play when making the decision to purchase a furnace. Gas and fuel prices differ, just as the efficiency and maintenance requirements for these two furnaces.

Fuel Availability

Oil supplies are limited to only a few places on the surface of the earth, and even these places have limited reservoirs. There are also few companies that refine crude oil. When choosing an oil furnace over a gas furnace, the furnace owner must consider his proximity to an oil depot/ dispenser because poor climatic conditions and long distances can hamper the fast acquisition of oil when needed. Gas, on the other hand, is readily available since it is piped directly into people's premises. Gas prices are lower than oil prices because it (gas) is in plenty supply as a renewable natural resource.

Furnace Efficiency

Research shows that gas furnaces have higher BTU than oil furnaces. Most oil furnaces have an efficiency of between 80% and 89% whereas gas furnaces have an efficiency of 90% to 99%, which translates to minimal energy wastage. Gas furnace users get to save money on their heating whereas oil furnace users have to dig deeper into their pockets.

Maintenance

Oil is messier than gas in that oil spills, and incomplete combustion can create more dirt and soot around and in the furnace than any gas leakage ever would. Oil furnaces must be properly cleaned, oiled and regularly unclogged so that soot and spills do not block the furnace system and cause a major breakdown. Gas furnaces, on the other hand, do not require such vigorous maintenance.

The choice of a furnace goes beyond personal preference. Building owners need to evaluate their building's heating needs in comparison with the furnace type they wish to buy, accessibility and price of the furnace's fuel, as well as maintenance requirements. A gas furnace is not necessarily better or worse than an oil furnace as each fuel-furnace's benefits depend on a person's financial status and premises' heating needs.

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