Should I convert from oil to gas or electric heat?

Question

I live in the Philadelphia suburb area, and the house I just bought has oil heat. With the cost of oil skyrocketing, would it be cost effective to convert to gas or electric heat if I am planning on changing the furnace eventually, anyway?

Answer 1

All the above answers are good. Without being able to predict what energy prices are going to do perhaps you should consider a hybrid system that has a gas furnace as an air handler and a heat pump for heat and a/c...use the gas when it's below 40 degrees and the heat pump when it's above 40 degrees.One thing history has shown - oil will drop again and in about 8 years it will go back up and so on.

Answer 2

When you change your furnace consider going gas. Gas is the cheapest of the three. It will always be cheaper because electricity often uses gas and you are paying a conversion charge for electric power. Also, per BTU cost is cheaper with gas.

Green cost is better for gas because it is usually produced locally. There is no telling where your electricity is coming from. You only know who you're paying. Downside for gas is it has a slightly larger carbon footprint.

Answer 3

It would likely save a bit -- and might save more over time -- but no one can really predict what oil prices will do.  You could reasonably convert either to a natural gas furnace, or to a heat pump; the operating costs of these will be similar.  The heat pump gives you air conditioning at no extra cost -- which in Philly, during the summer, would be nice.  (But it will cost more to install.)

Answer 4

Stay the way you are,if everyone else changes to other fuels oil will drop significantly..

Answer 5

Oil costs a lot to maintain. Gas does not. In the long run, gas is the cheapest form of heat, even if you have to install the gas. Speaking as one who has had to service both heats, and heat pumps, I would never own a heat pump, and here's the reason why. Yes, there is a savings to run a heat pump. If you have one, repeat one, service call to repair your heat pump, you have lost all the savings you would have received had you used a standard high efficiency gas furnace. Heat pumps are internally much more complicated then a standard furnace. SIMPLICITY!

Answer 6

I would go with a gas furnace and a heat pump. This is the most popular system we sell, you get the best of both worlds at a fairly resonable price.

Answer 7

When you can do it ..........go with the gas........and also think heat pump...........check it out........don't get hooked up....get at least 3 bids....maybe more.........should be easy to do....so listen carefully and be sure you get what your are  told.  bye