Should I Buy A Home That Uses Heating Oil?

Two of the most overlooked factors when it comes to comparing homes for purchase here Rhode Island are also two of the most important: the kind of heating system the home uses, and the type of fuel that powers it.

A heating system can have a dramatic effect on both your comfort and energy costs, especially here New England where we rely our heating equipment for eight months a year or more. While there are many options for heating our homes here in the northeastern U.S., one stands above the rest when it comes to tackling a frigid New England winter: tried-and-true heating oil.

Why choose a home that uses oil for heat?

Consider these heating oil benefits:

1. It produces intense heat – Heating oil burns a full 300 degrees hotter than natural gas. That means the air in your home (and the water, if you use an oil-fired water heater) will heat faster when you used oil-fired equipment than when you use any other kind of fuel. You will also need to burn less of it to stay comfortable, which saves money and wear and tear on your equipment (see below).
2. It’s safe – Heating oil is harmless at room temperature (it must be heated to 140 degrees and vaporized in order to burn) and will never explode, unlike natural gas.
3. It’s available – During the winter, demand can strain natural gas supply (as it did last winter) – a problem that rarely happens with heating oil.
4. It’s a good value – Adjusted for inflation, today’s heating oil prices are about the same as they were in the mid-1970s, making heating oil a bargain in the home energy game.
5. It’s good for the environment – Today’s ultra-low sulfur heating oil (ULSHO) burns 95 percent cleaner than heating oil did 50 years ago.
6. The equipment lasts longer – With proper professional preventative maintenance, today’s oil-fired heating furnaces and boilers can last 30 years or more – as much as twice as long as systems powered by natural gas.

The bottom line: When the time comes to buy your dream home, be sure to look under the hood (or in the basement) for the heating oil gems so you can enjoy warm, cozy reliable oil heat for years to come.

Need a heating inspection for a home you’re considering – or a new heating oil supplier for a home you’ve recently bought? Call the pros at Vaughn Oil for expert oil heating service, repair, and installations, along with the most reliable heating oil deliveries in our Rhode Island service area.