Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Carbon Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred 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 other homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Carbon 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 Carbon
Oil has become less popular in Carbon. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 760,867 to 663,450, a 13% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Carbon
Between 2021 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 267,454 to 282,182, a 6% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,677,533 to 2,796,352, a 4% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Carbon
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Carbon. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,287,322 to 1,447,260, a 12% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Carbon
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. As it stands today, 7,204 homes in Carbon are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 48% gain from 2021, when 4,867 homes utilized 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 consumption changes each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating 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 heating oil, selecting which of the 17 heating oil companies that serve Carbon is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose 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 homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are looking to save money. 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. A few of the 2 Carbon cash heating oil companies serving Carbon include Tirpak Energy and Liberty Oil & Propane.
Carbon Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Carbon: 17 companies .
Average Number of Carbon Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 39026
Carbon Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 households in Carbon heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Carbon temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Carbon households 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 Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 507,486,889 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Carbon households last winter, the Carbon community depends on its 92 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Carbon, 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 Carbon and the surrounding area.
