Gas vs. Oil Furnaces: Which One Would Work Best in Your Cincinnati Home?

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Comparing gas vs. oil furnaces to determine the best replacement for your current heating system often rests on the fuel availability and a personal preference for heating. Because it’s so widely available, the majority of heating systems in the U.S. use natural gas.

When you’re choosing between one or the other, these factors are likely to come into play:

  • Fuel availability – If you have gas to your property already, choosing a gas furnace may be the better option, since it’ll save the expenses associated with having an oil storage tank on your property. Unlike fuel oil, gas is delivered in underground pipes on demand.
  • Cost of fuel – Most natural gas supplies originate in the U.S. or Canada, while most of the fuel oil is imported. The price of natural gas is usually relatively stable compared to imported oil, whose price is influenced by the impact of worldwide supply and demand.
  • Thermal preferences – Often the decision between a gas vs. oil furnace is made on the basis of comfort. Fuel oil burns hotter than gas and will warm your home faster than natural gas.
  • Price and efficiency – Oil furnaces are typically less expensive than gas furnaces and usually last longer. The price of both is influenced by their annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE), a rating that describes how efficiently the system uses fuel. Higher AFUE ratings for either will cut the cost of heating your home.A system that has an AFUE of 83 converts 83 percent of the fuel it uses for direct heating, while wasting 17 percent, most of which goes up the chimney as heated water vapor. An 80 AFUE system wastes 20 percent of the fuel it uses.
  • Maintenance – A gas furnace burns fairly clean and may only need annual professional maintenance. However, an oil furnace requires much more attention and most oil providers build maintenance into the cost of fuel, changing the oil filters and removing soot whenever they refill the oil tank.

For professional help comparing gas vs. oil furnaces, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We provide top-notch HVAC services to greater Cincinnati homeowners.

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"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
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