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Myth vs. Fact
Myth: Oil heat is expensive.
Fact: Heating oil actually costs less than it did in 1980, when adjusted for inflation, and serves about 23 million Americans in 8.6 million households.
Source: Oilheat America
Myth: Oil heat does not produce as much energy as other fuel sources.
Fact: Each gallon of heating oil contains approximately 139,000 units of thermal energy (BTUs), making it an economically competitive energy source. In comparison, a therm of "Natural" Gas produces 100,000 units of thermal energy (BTUs)
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Myth: Oil heat today is inefficient.
Fact: Oil heating systems in use today use substantially less fuel than they did just 20 years ago. For example, an average home that used more than 1,200 gallons of heating oil in 1989 now uses only 800 gallons, or 33% less. This decrease in usage is attributable to advances in equipment efficiency and household conservation. New heating oil systems boast energy efficiency ratings from 83 to 94%.
Source: National Oilheat Research Alliance, American Petroleum Institute
Myth: Oil heat produces many harmful air emissions.
Fact: Heating oil burns almost 95% cleaner than it did in 1970. Today, residential oil burners produce less than one-third of one percent of total U.S. particulate emissions. In comparison, some 150 billion cubic meters of Natural Gas is flared and lost each year, spewing 400 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Source: Oilheat America, American Petroleum Institute, National Geographic: Energy for Tomorrow 6/7/09
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