Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Pennsylvania, used by 2,365,280 or 53.72% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Pennsylvania homeowners is electricity, used by 1,098,681 homes (24.95%). The remaining homes are heated with heating oil (623,745), propane (190,070), wood (70,145), and other fuels (100,851).
Pennsylvania Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | Pennsylvania Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Natural Gas | 2.3M | 53.72% |
Electricity | 1.0M | 24.95% |
Heating Oil | 623,745 | 14.17% |
Propane | 190,070 | 4.32% |
Wood | 70,145 | 1.59% |
Other Fuels | 34,669 | 0.79% |
Coal | 34,358 | 0.78% |
No Fuel | 28,380 | 0.64% |
Solar | 3,444 | 0.08% |
Natural gas (53.72)
Electricity (24.95)
Heating oil (14.17)
Propane (4.32)
Wood (1.59)
Other fuels (0.79)
Coal (0.78)
No fuel (0.64)
Solar (0.08)
Heating oil has become less popular in Pennsylvania. In the 11 years since 2011, the number of heating oil homes fell from 825,739 to 623,745, a 24.46% drop.
Pennsylvania Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 825,739 |
2012 | 799,996 |
2013 | 768,291 |
2014 | 742,187 |
2015 | 717,580 |
2016 | 688,904 |
2017 | 670,132 |
2018 | 656,577 |
2019 | 643,124 |
2020 | 638,677 |
2021 | 625,641 |
2022 | 623,745 |
Between 2011 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 125,708 to 190,070.
Between 2011 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,200,992 to 2,365,280.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Pennsylvania. Since 2011, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 814,972 to 1,098,681, a 34.81% 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, 3,444 homes in Pennsylvania are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 381.01% increase from 2011, when only 716 homes had installed active solar heating.
Short Term Trends
Heating Season | Average Temperature |
---|---|
Winter 2022 - 2023 | 48.2° F |
Winter 2021 - 2022 | 41.3° F |
For Pennsylvania homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 605 heating oil companies that serve Pennsylvania 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 29 “full-service” oil companies that serve Pennsylvania. Full service companies such as Royal Petroleum Inc or Dollar Wise 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania include Action Oil Inc and Gnagey Gas & Oil Company Inc.
Pennsylvania Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving Pennsylvania: 605 companies
Average Number Of Pennsylvania Homes Served Per Company: 1,030 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per Pennsylvania Oil Company: 838,821 gallons per year