Oil vs. Natural Gas Heating: What’s The Difference?

Comparing the Benefits of Two Popular Fuel Types

For decades, the antiquated refrain about home-heating fuel has been, “gas is good, oil is bad.” Don’t buy that outdated myth! There are potent new forces in the oil family that have entirely repositioned the traditional perceptions on heating oil. Ultra-low sulfur heating oil (ULSHO)— offered by Southville Petroleum across our Long Island service territory—is among them, making quite a name for itself.

However here, let’s go even further and explore natural gas versus heating oil in terms of environmental impact, efficiency, and cost.

ULSHO is Cleaner and Greener

Compared to natural gas, ULSHO is better for the environment and leaps and bounds ahead of heating oils of yesteryear. Compared to other home heating fuels, ULSHO burns cleaner, slashing sulfur dioxide by 75 percent; particulate matter by 80 percent; nitrous oxide by 10 percent; and carbon dioxide by 2 percent.

By reducing soot and scaling, ULSHO increases heating efficiency, leaving more heat in your house and less up your chimney—and out into the atmosphere. As for comparing ULSHO to natural gas, there’s no contest: You would have to burn about 40 percent more natural gas to receive the heating equivalent of ULSHO.

Cleaner fuel also means fewer deposits on heat exchangers, which prolongs the life of your equipment and means less maintenance. ULSHO also allows for ultra-efficient heating systems, which are already being used with great results outside the U.S. These systems will only increase the benefits of heating oil.

The old argument that natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel no longer applies, especially when you factor in the damage to the ozone layer resulting from leaking gas pipelines. Heating oil is the clean home-heating alternative. We have a winner!

Southville strictly delivers premium ULSHO #2, because we know quality matters to our customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Our cleaner-burning fuel helps your system run efficiently, saves fuel, cuts your need for service calls, and helps add years to the life of your equipment.

How clean is the oil or gas your current supplier has to offer? If you’re unsure, it just may be dirtier than you think. Choose Southville for your heating oil supply this season—and beyond! Please contact us today. We’ll be happy to get you started with us.