Heating oil has declined in popularity nationwide since the 1970s but has remained popular in Northeastern states like Maine. In fact, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Northeast Census Region was responsible for 85 percent of heating oil usage in the states.
What Is Heating Oil and How Does it Heat Your Home?
Heating oil is typically stored in a steel tank somewhere on your property. The most common residential tank size is 275 gallons, but above-ground tanks can range in size from a little over 100 gallons to 500 gallons or more.
Heating oil fuels your home heating system by being injected as a mist that is directed to the combustion chamber in a furnace or boiler where it fuels flames.
If your home uses heating oil, you likely have one of two heating unit types in your home:
- Furnace: Furnaces heat homes by heating air via a heat exchanger. The heated air is then dispersed through central air ducts.
- Boiler: Boilers use a different method that usually involves heating water and circulating it through pipes in baseboards or turning water into steam that’s sent through radiators.
Is Heating Oil Affordable?
Heating oil prices vary, but it is overall considered more affordable than electricity. Natural gas is often cheaper in terms of cost per BTU, but not every home has a natural gas connection (especially in the Northeast). Many homeowners in or around Hermon, Bangor and Brunswick rely on heating oil not only out of necessity but also because of its superior performance and price compared to electric furnaces.
Heating Oil System Care
Homeowners in Maine who use heating oil benefit from sticking to routine maintenance schedules. With routine maintenance performed on your heating system toward the end of summer, you can ensure that it’s in good working order going into the fall and winter.
If you’re unsure of what maintenance your home heating system might need, you can always rely on our team at Valley Home Services for advice. Although we work on ductless mini-split systems, we can advise you on your heating system as well.
HVAC Units That Don’t Rely on Heating Oil
If you want to change from heating oil, natural gas or electricity, a heat pump might be a great option for you.
Heat pumps have become increasingly popular due to their ability to both heat and cool a home. Some companies, including Fujitsu, make heat pump models that can efficiently heat rooms even when the outside temperatures drop well below zero.
If you are considering replacing or supplementing your current furnace or boiler with a mini-split heat pump, contact our experts to learn more about your options.
Ductless Heat Pump Maintenance, Repair and Replacement in Maine
Valley Home Services is a local, family-owned company that excels at installing, maintaining and repairing ductless energy-efficient heat pumps. We believe in providing quality service to our customers.
If you’re unsure if switching to a heat pump system is right for you, or if you have questions about supplementing your heating source with a heat pump, we can help. Feel free to look over the services we offer to learn more about us and our company values. Contact us at (800) 316-7815 or (207) 945-9008.
If you’re still using heating oil, we can help with your heating oil delivery. We’re always standing by for quick delivery of competitively priced heating oil.
