Sometimes people looking for a home to buy find one they like, but the furnace runs on heating oil instead of natural gas or propane. These prospective home buyers may feel a little nervous about using home heating oil in Madison if they have never lived in a house relying on this fuel before.
Relevant Statistics and History
The use of heating oil is relatively uncommon in the United States except in the northeast, where many homes have furnaces that run on oil. As of 2018, about 8 million U.S. households use oil as their main source of heat.
Historically, natural gas was unavailable to many homes in this region, even those in municipalities. That situation has gradually changed over the years. New houses typically are constructed with natural gas furnaces installed. When someone buys an older house with an oil furnace, replacing that furnace with a natural gas one is a possibility. But if the furnace is still in good working condition, this may seem like a waste of money, even if the cost of heating oil in Madison is somewhat higher than that for natural gas.
Choosing a Heating Oil Supplier
When the real estate buyers decide they love this house and have their offer accepted, they’ll need to find a heating oil supplier. Deliveries are made by truck since heating oil is not sent through underground pipes. Getting quotes on pricing and learning about different service options from various companies is advisable. Some companies offer more competitive rates than others.
Many heating oil buyers find that some of these organizations offer substantially better customer service than others do. A company like Business Name, for example, offers four different plans so customers can choose the one that best fits their budget or circumstances. Customers who call for deliveries instead of having automatic delivery scheduled can have the oil brought to the home within two business days. In contrast, some delivery companies tell customers who choose will-call service that a driver may not arrive for a full five business days. That can be a serious problem during very cold weather and a low level of oil in the tank.
