Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Heating oil is the most popular choice in Maine, used by 344,285 or 59.84% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Maine homeowners is propane, used by 74,720 homes (12.99%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (53,649), wood (50,553), natural gas (46,832), and other fuels (16,018).
Maine Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | Maine Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Heating Oil | 344,285 | 59.84% |
Propane | 74,720 | 12.99% |
Electricity | 53,649 | 9.33% |
Wood | 50,553 | 8.79% |
Natural Gas | 46,832 | 8.14% |
Other Fuels | 10,776 | 1.87% |
No Fuel | 2,221 | 0.39% |
Solar | 1,762 | 0.31% |
Coal | 1,259 | 0.22% |
Heating oil (59.84)
Propane (12.99)
Electricity (9.33)
Wood (8.79)
Natural gas (8.14)
Other fuels (1.87)
No fuel (0.39)
Solar (0.31)
Coal (0.22)
Heating oil has become less popular in Maine. In the 5 years since 2017, the number of heating oil homes fell from 345,775 to 344,285, a 0.43% drop.
Maine Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 399,528 |
2012 | 389,712 |
2013 | 378,400 |
2014 | 368,680 |
2015 | 359,172 |
2016 | 350,786 |
2017 | 345,775 |
2018 | 344,793 |
2019 | 344,403 |
2020 | 348,823 |
2021 | 345,156 |
2022 | 344,285 |
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 52,707 to 74,720.
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 38,464 to 46,832.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Maine. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 32,239 to 53,649, a 66.41% increase.
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all space heating fuels. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank in the basement.
Currently, 1,762 homes in Maine are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 180.13% increase from 2017, when only 629 homes had installed active solar heating.
Short Term Trends
Heating Season | Average Temperature |
---|---|
Winter 2022 - 2023 | 39.5° F |
Winter 2021 - 2022 | 24.5° F |
For Maine homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 163 heating oil companies that serve Maine is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 19 “full-service” oil companies that serve Maine. Full service companies such as Alfred Oil or Beaupre Fuel offer automatic fuel delivery and furnace repair under a single roof.
Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel Companies” or “Cash Heating Oil Companies”, these companies are for the budget-conscious Maine homeowner. In return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank and place an order when you run low on oil. Examples of cash heating oil companies that serve Maine include Carroll Fuel Company J P and Quality Fuels Llc.
Maine Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving Maine: 163 companies
Average Number Of Maine Homes Served Per Company: 1,746 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per Maine Oil Company: 1,515,006 gallons per year