When it comes to how we power our homes, the two main options are electricity and gas. Most Americans can get their gas from a central source. But that’s not always an option for those of us living in the northeastern states. That means that to use gas to power our homes, we need either propane or heating oil tanks installed on our property.
But which one is best? While there might not be a definitive answer, in this article on propane vs. heating oil, we’ll address the question, “What are the differences?” We’ll give you the info needed to help you decide which is the best for you.
Propane
Let’s begin with the more popular choice. People commonly use propane gas to heat their homes. But it can power your appliances and water heaters as well. While the tanks are expensive at first, they’re much easier to maintain and outlast much of the competition. Obviously, that doesn’t mean you should set yours and forget it. You should care for the propane tank regularly to ensure its longevity.
Even though its primary use is to heat homes, it’s not the fastest at doing so. Still, it’s quite efficient at heating a house. On top of that, the fuel is relatively cheap and doesn’t fluctuate in price often.
Heating Oil
Now it’s time to cover the runner-up. Heating oil only finds use in furnaces for heating. However, it works much more quickly and consumes less fuel than propane. Moreover, its installation costs are much lower. You should note that its refill rates are much higher, and they often change. Furnaces that use heating oil also need significantly more maintenance to stay in tip-top shape.
What We Recommend
Now that we’ve covered propane and heating oil and what the differences are, it’s time for us to give you our opinion on the best one. Objectively, we must go with propane. It’s so much more versatile, easier to deal with, and saves you money over time. There are some niche applications in which heating oil is the better choice. But if you want the best, you should definitely choose propane for your gas-related needs.