Buying an Oil Heated Home

Have you fallen in love with a home that happens to be heated with oil? If you are unfamiliar with this heating choice, you probably have some questions. There are fairly prevalent misconceptions about oil heat but the truth is over 10 million homes in the USA are currently warmed with this modern, efficient fuel source. Over 350,000 of those homes were built in the last decade.

People love their oil heating systems and almost always regret it if they convert to natural gas or electricity. In fact, the Consumer Energy Council of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the best interest of consumers, has concluded that it is financially unwise for homeowners to convert from oil to gas heat. That means staying with oil heat will save you money!

Let's look at the facts:
Fact:		Oil heat burns 400 degrees hotter than natural gas, resulting in a cozier house that heats up faster. And because oil heat has a higher burn temperature, it provides a more even temperature in all rooms throughout the house.
Fact:		Oil heat burns so cleanly the EPA doesn't even regulate its emissions. And it produces far less greenhouse gas than natural gas systems.
Fact:		The average oil furnace lasts 30 years or more. Compare that to the 15 years you get from a gas furnace.
Fact:		If the hot water heater is fired with oil, it will heat up twice as fast as it would with natural gas.
Fact:		Central air conditioning can easily be added to forced air oil furnaces.
Fact:		Home heating oil is non-toxic, non-explosive, biodegradable and contains no carcinogens.
Fact:		Like an old roof, an underground oil storage tank can leak but clean up costs are generally low. In Oregon, the average clean up cost is under $5,000.
Fact:		Oregon oil heat dealers offer tank service contracts which cover costs up to $4,000 dollars for tank replacement and cleanup in the event of storage tank failure.
Fact:		Tank service contracts are transferable to the new homeowner in a real estate sale. You may ask the seller to provide one as part of the sale.
Fact:		New above ground oil tanks are available in a variety of sizes and can be tucked away in an unused corner of the garage or basement, completely eliminating any concerns about undetected leaks.
Fact:		Heating oil storage tanks do NOT need to be decommissioned when a home is sold.
Fact:		Soil samples are NOT required by law to buy or sell a home.
Fact:		Most companies that do soil samples have a vested interest in finding a problem because they make their money on the clean up. If a lender requests a soil sample, contact a local oil heat dealer first. They will provide the name of a trusted tester.
Fact:		Upgrading to a new oil furnace costs far less than converting to another fuel source and will add value to your new home.
Fact:		Newer oil furnaces, burners, water heaters, stoves and boilers feature cutting edge technology and can have efficiency ratings that exceed 90%.
Fact:		Unlike public utilities, oil heat companies are not monopolies - they're locally owned businesses that rely on quality customer service and value to remain competitive.