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

Families have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Berks, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Berks households 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 (in Number 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

Oil has become decreasing in demand in Berks. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using oil decreased from 870,064 to 663,450, a 24% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Berks

Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 195,799 to 282,182, a 44% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 2,516,052 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 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,086,074 to 1,447,260, a 33% 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 412% gain from 2013, when 1,408 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 oil use fluctuates from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 homeowners heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 41 heating oil companies that serve Berks 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 choose one of the 92 “full-service” oil companies that serve Berks. Full service companies such as Atlas Oil Company or Sauder Fuel offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic fuel 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 clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. A few of the 2 Berks cash heating oil companies serving Berks include Eby Oil Inc and Tropical Oil LLC.

Berks Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Berks: 41 companies .
Average Number of Berks Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 16182

Berks Heating Oil Delivery Overview

663,450 homes in Berks heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Berks temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Berks homes 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 Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Berks houses the last heating season, the Berks community depends on its 444 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 Berks, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Berks and the surrounding vicinity.