Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Delaware, used by 168,825 or 43.59% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Delaware homeowners is electricity, used by 140,774 homes (36.34%). The remaining homes are heated with heating oil (37,959), propane (33,614), other fuels (3,010), and other fuels (6,928).
Delaware Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | Delaware Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Natural Gas | 168,825 | 43.59% |
Electricity | 140,774 | 36.34% |
Heating Oil | 37,959 | 9.80% |
Propane | 33,614 | 8.68% |
Other Fuels | 3,010 | 0.78% |
Wood | 2,597 | 0.67% |
No Fuel | 2,431 | 0.63% |
Solar | 998 | 0.26% |
Coal | 902 | 0.23% |
Natural gas (43.59)
Electricity (36.34)
Heating oil (9.80)
Propane (8.68)
Other fuels (0.78)
Wood (0.67)
No fuel (0.63)
Solar (0.26)
Coal (0.23)
Heating oil has become less popular in Delaware. In the 5 years since 2017, the number of heating oil homes fell from 43,950 to 37,959, a 13.63% drop.
Delaware Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 58,018 |
2012 | 56,500 |
2013 | 53,981 |
2014 | 51,450 |
2015 | 49,420 |
2016 | 46,781 |
2017 | 43,950 |
2018 | 42,767 |
2019 | 41,202 |
2020 | 39,828 |
2021 | 38,660 |
2022 | 37,959 |
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel fell from 34,619 to 33,614.
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel fell from 146,808 to 168,825.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Delaware. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 113,295 to 140,774, a 24.25% increase.
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all space heating fuels. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank in the basement.
Currently, 998 homes in Delaware are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 219.87% increase from 2017, when only 312 homes had installed active solar heating.
Short Term Trends
Heating Season | Average Temperature |
---|---|
Winter 2022 - 2023 | 47.3° F |
Winter 2021 - 2022 | 40.6° F |
For Delaware homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 60 heating oil companies that serve Delaware is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Delaware. Full service companies such as undefined or undefined offer automatic fuel delivery and furnace repair under a single roof.
Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel Companies” or “Cash Heating Oil Companies”, these companies are for the budget-conscious Delaware homeowner. In return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank and place an order when you run low on oil. Examples of cash heating oil companies that serve Delaware include Hillside Oil Co Inc and Shellhorn & Hill Inc.
Delaware Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving Delaware: 60 companies
Average Number Of Delaware Homes Served Per Company: 632 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per Delaware Oil Company: 257,566 gallons per year