Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sagadahoc Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Sagadahoc, used by 298,426 or 48% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Sagadahoc households is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Sagadahoc County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. 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
Heating oil has become less popular in Sagadahoc. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 323,666 to 298,426, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sagadahoc
Between 2023 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 84,744 to 101,382, a 20% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 51,811 to 53,178, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sagadahoc
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Sagadahoc. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 79,160 to 92,432, a 17% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sagadahoc
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Currently, 3,526 homes in Sagadahoc are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 65% gain from 2023, when 2,137 homes used 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 number two heating oil usage changes each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more fuel 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 families heating with heating oil, picking 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 prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 2 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sagadahoc. Full service companies such as Ness Oil Company or Ness Oil Company offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The homeowner 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 clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Sagadahoc cash heating oil companies serving Sagadahoc include Kennebec Energy LLC and Kaler Oil Co Inc.
Sagadahoc Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Sagadahoc: 15 companies .
Average Number of Sagadahoc Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 19895
Sagadahoc Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 households 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 houses rely on fuel 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 Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 246,945,991 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Sagadahoc families during this past winter, the Sagadahoc community depends on its 71 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery has two parts to it: 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 #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Sagadahoc and the surrounding region.
