Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Putnam Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Putnam, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Putnam homeowners is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Putnam County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,725,574 | 377,922 | 1,365,710 | 1,103,323 | 92,054 | 16,434 | 100,232 |
| 2024 | 4,679,558 | 370,910 | 1,292,868 | 1,143,783 | 96,147 | 15,259 | 97,524 |
| 2023 | 4,581,041 | 402,335 | 1,263,700 | 1,212,850 | 100,015 | 11,208 | 104,369 |
| 2022 | 4,542,443 | 400,969 | 1,190,880 | 1,279,260 | 99,080 | 11,314 | 103,810 |
| 2021 | 4,489,009 | 388,311 | 1,118,015 | 1,293,770 | 108,202 | 8,858 | 98,952 |
| 2020 | 4,504,504 | 353,944 | 1,014,730 | 1,343,665 | 111,106 | 8,778 | 89,024 |
| 2019 | 4,519,999 | 319,576 | 911,445 | 1,393,560 | 114,011 | 8,697 | 79,096 |
| 2018 | 4,397,917 | 308,020 | 890,554 | 1,459,976 | 120,159 | 6,022 | 82,621 |
| 2017 | 4,339,349 | 294,973 | 867,925 | 1,496,843 | 122,088 | 5,988 | 77,386 |
| 2016 | 4,227,422 | 273,838 | 860,856 | 1,540,787 | 126,890 | 6,535 | 79,479 |
| 2015 | 4,202,413 | 265,224 | 808,370 | 1,649,860 | 141,016 | 3,120 | 78,999 |
| 2014 | 4,186,666 | 258,775 | 770,577 | 1,752,656 | 145,012 | 2,573 | 76,963 |
| 2013 | 4,074,510 | 259,367 | 764,400 | 1,802,442 | 148,422 | 2,525 | 81,841 |
| 2012 | 4,044,389 | 237,738 | 775,390 | 1,901,118 | 155,603 | 2,168 | 61,429 |
| 2011 | 4,014,222 | 222,634 | 707,016 | 1,979,067 | 143,287 | 2,728 | 63,609 |
| 2010 | 3,961,085 | 227,607 | 676,262 | 2,068,004 | 143,242 | 1,823 | 61,664 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Putnam
Heating oil has become less popular in Putnam. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using number two heating oil decreased from 1,802,442 to 1,103,323, a 39% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Putnam
Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 259,367 to 377,922, a 46% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,074,510 to 4,725,574, a 16% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Putnam
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Putnam. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 764,400 to 1,365,710, a 79% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Putnam
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. As it stands today, 16,434 homes in Putnam are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 551% gain from 2013, when 2,525 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Putnam County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Putnam County homeowners purchased a total of 10 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Putnam’s overall oil usage varies yearly correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Putnam was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Putnam County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Putnam County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Putnam homes heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 72 heating oil companies that serve Putnam makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 246 “full-service” oil companies that serve Putnam. Full service companies such as Action Fuel Oil Corp or People's Oil offer families 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 family 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 customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Putnam cash heating oil companies serving Putnam include Outlaw Oil LLC and Prestige Oil Inc.
Putnam Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Putnam: 72 companies .
Average Number of Putnam Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 15324
Putnam Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 homes in Putnam heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Putnam temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Putnam households are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Putnam County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Putnam County Households | Putnam County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
401 Putnam Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of oil delivered to Putnam residences last winter, the Putnam community depends on its 401 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Putnam, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Putnam and the surrounding vicinity.
