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Homeowner's guide to:

Oil Central Heating

Fuel Oil Furnace and Boiler Sizes

Step 1: Using the map below, find your climate zone’s Required Heating Power, measured as BTUs per Square Foot.

Step 2: Using the Correction Factor table below, find your home’s Correction Factor.

Step 3: Multiply your home’s square feet by the Required Heating Power (from Step 1), and multiply that by the
Correction Factor (from Step 2) to find your recommended boiler size.

Climates-Zone.jpeg

Correction Factor


For a building that you know has adequate insulation – No adjustment needed

For a building that has no insulation – Multiply BTU Requirements x 1.15

For a building in severe conditions only – Multiply BTU Requirements x 1.61

Other Considerations


  • Air Infiltration: A drafty building is hard to heat. Make sure there are no gaps in the doors or windows of the building.
  • House Floorplan: In general, it is harder to heat longer, narrower homes than shorter, squarer homes.
  • Ceiling Height: If the ceiling is more than 14’ high, install ceiling fans to re-circulate the heat from the ceiling down onto the floor area.
  • Heat Recovery: If the garage doors are left open a lot or opened and closed frequently you may need a more powerful heating unit. (Clean Burn)