Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sagadahoc Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Sagadahoc, used by 298,426 or 48% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Sagadahoc households is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The remaining homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Sagadahoc County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53,178 | 101,382 | 92,432 | 298,426 | 65,496 | 3,526 | 9,422 |
| 2024 | 51,248 | 98,171 | 83,361 | 309,159 | 59,610 | 3,144 | 8,226 |
| 2023 | 51,811 | 84,744 | 79,160 | 323,666 | 57,999 | 2,137 | 12,767 |
| 2022 | 48,991 | 84,304 | 63,901 | 339,456 | 51,998 | 1,704 | 11,224 |
| 2021 | 47,952 | 78,322 | 61,019 | 345,133 | 46,227 | 1,374 | 10,375 |
| 2020 | 46,351 | 73,782 | 54,514 | 345,001 | 50,077 | 1,210 | 9,402 |
| 2019 | 44,750 | 69,241 | 48,008 | 344,869 | 53,927 | 1,047 | 8,428 |
| 2018 | 44,328 | 61,194 | 41,759 | 355,904 | 54,843 | 1,169 | 8,683 |
| 2017 | 41,841 | 61,816 | 36,406 | 331,541 | 54,454 | 1,228 | 10,328 |
| 2016 | 41,879 | 52,621 | 33,543 | 333,900 | 55,290 | 312 | 11,584 |
| 2015 | 37,624 | 50,511 | 35,138 | 336,337 | 70,767 | 604 | 11,270 |
| 2014 | 37,608 | 48,027 | 28,040 | 342,185 | 78,214 | 451 | 11,692 |
| 2013 | 31,836 | 45,601 | 28,747 | 351,842 | 76,707 | 486 | 9,827 |
| 2012 | 28,621 | 41,477 | 23,260 | 374,110 | 76,225 | 635 | 6,995 |
| 2011 | 27,427 | 42,224 | 24,723 | 379,409 | 68,055 | 307 | 6,480 |
| 2010 | 23,135 | 36,617 | 27,813 | 384,021 | 65,520 | 446 | 5,177 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Sagadahoc
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Sagadahoc. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of homeowners using fuel oil dipped from 333,900 to 298,426, a 11% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sagadahoc
Between 2016 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 52,621 to 101,382, a 93% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 41,879 to 53,178, a 27% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sagadahoc
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Sagadahoc. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 33,543 to 92,432, a 176% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sagadahoc
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid flows between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. Now, 3,526 homes in Sagadahoc are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 1030% gain from 2016, when 312 homes had active solar heating.
Sagadahoc County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Sagadahoc County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Sagadahoc’s overall fuel oil consumption varies from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sagadahoc was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Sagadahoc County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Sagadahoc County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Sagadahoc residences heating with oil, choosing which of the 15 heating oil companies that serve Sagadahoc plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 2 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sagadahoc. Full service companies such as Ness Oil Company or Ness Oil Company offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Sagadahoc cash heating oil companies serving Sagadahoc include Kennebec Energy LLC and Kaler Oil Co Inc.
Sagadahoc Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Sagadahoc: 15 companies .
Average Number of Sagadahoc Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 19895
Sagadahoc Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 families in Sagadahoc heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sagadahoc temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Sagadahoc residences are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Sagadahoc County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Sagadahoc County Households | Sagadahoc County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
71 Sagadahoc Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 246,945,991 gallons of oil delivered to Sagadahoc homes last winter, the Sagadahoc community relies on its 71 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Sagadahoc, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Sagadahoc and the surrounding region.
