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Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Westmoreland County Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Westmoreland County, used by 2,698,438 or 51.75% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Westmoreland County homeowners is electricity, used by 1,275,546 homes (24.46%). The remaining homes are heated with heating oil (786,449), propane (256,098), wood (122,435), and other fuels (139,486).

Westmoreland County Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households

FuelWestmoreland County Households % of Households
Natural Gas2.6M51.75%
Electricity1.2M24.46%
Heating Oil786,44915.08%
Propane256,0984.91%
Wood122,4352.35%
Coal51,5310.99%
Other Fuels50,5060.97%
No Fuel33,3560.64%
Solar4,0930.08%

Natural gas (51.75)

Electricity (24.46)

Heating oil (15.08)

Propane (4.91)

Wood (2.35)

Coal (0.99)

Other fuels (0.97)

No fuel (0.64)

Solar (0.08)

#2 Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Westmoreland County

Heating oil has become less popular in Westmoreland County. In the 9 years since 2013, the number of heating oil homes fell from 963,754 to 786,449, a 18.40% drop.

Westmoreland County Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)

YearHeating Oil Households
20111.0M
20121.0M
2013963,754
2014930,735
2015899,276
2016864,952
2017843,020
2018828,104
2019814,213
2020811,086
2021790,823
2022786,449

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Westmoreland County

Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 185,329 to 256,098.

Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,533,121 to 2,698,438.

Electricity use for home heating in Westmoreland County

Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Westmoreland County. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,025,696 to 1,275,546, a 24.36% increase.

Solar use for home heating in Westmoreland County

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, 4,093 homes in Westmoreland County are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 222.28% increase from 2013, when only 1,270 homes had installed active solar heating.

Westmoreland County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Westmoreland County homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 114 heating oil companies that serve Westmoreland County 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 Westmoreland County. 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 Westmoreland County 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 Westmoreland County include J&L Heating and Cooling and Courtesy Oil Inc.

Westmoreland County Heating Oil Company Fast Facts

Heating Oil Companies Serving Westmoreland County: 114 companies

Average Number Of Westmoreland County Homes Served Per Company: 170 homes

Average Gallons Delivered per Westmoreland County Oil Company: 110,078 gallons per year

Westmoreland County Heating Oil Delivery Overview

Approximately 19,447 households in Westmoreland County heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Westmoreland County temperatures drop as low as 42.5° F each winter.

12% of Westmoreland County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Westmoreland County HouseholdsWestmoreland County Heating Oil Households
150,78619,447

3,399 Westmoreland County Oil Companies Go the Distance

With 13 million gallons of heating oil delivered to Westmoreland County homeowners during the winter of 2023, the Westmoreland County community relies on its 3,399 oil companies to keep warm.

Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal. In the case of Westmoreland County, two of the closest terminals are Etmt in Delmont, PA and Etmt in Delmont, PA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses in Westmoreland County.

More Westmoreland County HVAC Resources