Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Berks Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Berks, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Berks families is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).

Berks County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	2,796,352	282,182	1,447,260	663,450	112,270	7,204	31,146
2024	2,785,913	276,598	1,396,275	685,083	111,416	6,155	32,085
2023	2,698,411	278,621	1,389,291	717,601	111,540	6,964	44,558
2022	2,710,114	282,625	1,337,240	742,118	105,147	5,282	41,959
2021	2,677,533	267,454	1,287,322	760,867	109,832	4,867	46,436
2020	2,656,062	251,472	1,254,850	776,616	113,900	4,554	41,326
2019	2,634,591	235,490	1,222,377	792,365	117,969	4,241	36,216
2018	2,592,386	225,476	1,198,450	806,761	128,110	2,197	35,172
2017	2,598,275	222,650	1,158,937	790,353	127,198	2,225	35,586
2016	2,551,248	209,719	1,133,797	805,822	125,583	1,639	34,565
2015	2,549,385	200,754	1,103,995	837,082	141,835	2,117	38,034
2014	2,528,694	198,296	1,087,741	858,758	148,256	1,760	36,886
2013	2,516,052	195,799	1,086,074	870,064	148,597	1,408	33,941
2012	2,530,063	188,880	1,046,982	936,674	145,089	1,484	31,494
2011	2,516,883	178,387	1,019,764	973,749	137,625	1,545	28,259
2010	2,530,446	177,562	997,925	993,832	126,074	597	29,423

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Berks

Heating oil has become less popular in Berks. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of homeowners using oil declined from 936,674 to 663,450, a 29% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Berks

Between 2012 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 188,880 to 282,182, a 49% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 2,530,063 to 2,796,352, a 11% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Berks

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Berks. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 1,046,982 to 1,447,260, a 38% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Berks

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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. As it stands today, 7,204 homes in Berks are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 385% gain from 2012, when 1,484 homes had active solar heating.

Berks County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Berks County homeowners purchased a total of 26 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Berks’s overall number two heating oil use fluctuates from year to year 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 a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Berks was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Berks County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	29.3° F
2023 - 2024	34.8° F

Berks County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Berks households heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 41 heating oil companies that serve Berks plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 92 “full-service” oil companies that serve Berks. Full service companies such as Atlas Oil Company or Sauder Fuel offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 households who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Berks cash heating oil companies serving Berks include Eby Oil Inc and Tropical Oil LLC.

Berks Oil Company By The Numbers: Oil Companies Serving Berks: 41 companies .
Average Number of Berks Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 16182

Berks Heating Oil Delivery Overview

663,450 homes in Berks heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Berks temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Berks families rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.

6.1% of Berks County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Berks County Households	Berks County Heating Oil Households
10.7M	663,450

444 Berks Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 507,486,889 gallons of oil delivered to Berks households last winter, the Berks community looks to its 444 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 Berks, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Berks and the surrounding vicinity.