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

Carbon 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 Carbon

Oil has become losing popularity in Carbon. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of families using number two heating oil declined from 837,082 to 663,450, a 21% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Carbon

Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 200,754 to 282,182, a 41% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,549,385 to 2,796,352, a 10% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Carbon

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Carbon. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,103,995 to 1,447,260, a 31% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Carbon

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. Today, 7,204 homes in Carbon are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 240% gain from 2015, when 2,117 homes used active solar heating.

Carbon County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Carbon County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Carbon’s overall oil usage varies yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Carbon was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Carbon County Average Winter Temperature

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

Carbon County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Carbon families heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 17 heating oil companies that serve Carbon can drastically impact the cost of home heating.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 25 “full-service” oil companies that serve Carbon. Full service companies such as Wisser Coal & Fuel Oil or DeSousa Oil & Service Corp offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Carbon cash heating oil companies serving Carbon include Tirpak Energy and Liberty Oil & Propane.

Carbon Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Carbon: 17 companies .
Average Number of Carbon Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 39026

Carbon Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

92 Carbon Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On

With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Carbon houses during this past winter, the Carbon community looks to its 92 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 Carbon, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Carbon and the surrounding area.

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