Natural Gas Prices On The Rise
People have been using natural gas for residential and business purposes for many years, as it is believed to have many benefits over other sources. Although natural gas has proven to have various advantages, it has its fair share of disadvantages as well. One disadvantage is the fact that natural gas is quite volatile and must be handled with care. Here are some other reasons why natural gas may not be the best choice for heating your home.
The United States As A Natural Gas Exporter
The United States began exporting LNG last year, via Cheniere Energy, a company based in Houston, Texas. Many other pipeline projects are currently underway, which will significantly increase the exportation of this high-demand fuel. Expert analysts at the U.S. Energy Department have determined that increasing amounts of natural gas is being exported to Mexico, while Canada is receiving significantly less. Mexico’s demand for natural gas to fuel its electric power plants will continue to increase, according to research by energy experts. It is predicted that as a result of the increased exportation of gas to Mexico, that the cost of natural gas will be increased for consumers in the U.S.
By the year 2020, it is expected that the United States will be exporting even more natural gas to Mexico, which would cause the heating bills of U.S. home and business owners to skyrocket. This rapid increase in natural gas exportation to Mexico is unexpected, because only one decade ago no plans for the U.S. to become a major exporter of natural gas to Mexico had been made. Despite this fact, demand for natural gas in Mexico has doubled since 2009. Not only are expected price hikes unacceptable for most home and business owners, but it is also unnecessary, especially when heating with oil is a viable and more cost-effective alternative.
What Affects The Price Of Natural Gas?
There are other factors that affect the cost of natural gas. Some of these factors include: inclement weather, the state of the economy, the prices of other types of fuels, and more. For instance, if there is a hurricane, production of natural gas may be stopped temporarily. Not only could this result in shortages, but prices are likely to increase rapidly.
If the economy is booming and natural gas is in high demand, then natural gas consumers will pay more. Furthermore, when prices for other types of fuels change, it can change the price of natural gas in a favorable or unfavorable manner. In other words, if many consumers are opting for natural gas due to the increased prices of alternative fuels, the price of natural gas will be driven up, as a result of increased demand.
Heating Oil
Efficient & Low Prices
Heating with oil may appear more expensive than natural gas when conducting a preliminary price comparison. However, fuel oil provides more heat than the same amount of gas. For example, if it takes 10,000 BTU of oil to heat a particular space, 400 more BTU of natural gas would be needed to heat the same square footage of space. Therefore, if the price of natural gas does sky rocket as experts predict, not only will oil heat provide you more heat per BTU, but you could be paying significantly less without worrying about probable natural gas price hikes. Experts expect that heating oil prices will drop even more. Currently, heating oil is priced at $50.00 a barrel.
Safe
Another reason why you may want to consider oil as a heating source is due to the fact that natural gas can be hazardous in a number of ways. Natural gas is odorless, and if a leak were to occur in your home or business, it would likely not be detectable until it had possibly caused harm. Simply inhaling gas fumes could lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion and more. In extreme cases it could cause death. A gas leak could also result in an explosion due to the fact that it is combustible. Oil does not pose the same risks, so it is a great deal safer, regardless of the circumstances.
Choose Your Own Schedule
Although oil must be delivered on a regular basis in order to keep furnaces and other appliances fueled, consumers don’t have to consider ongoing deliveries to be a hassle. A consumer only has to call the oil company to schedule a delivery. It also gives the consumer the option to schedule a delivery when prices are low. Natural gas does not give the consumer this option. You can also rest assured that the delivery of your heating oil is safe. Oil is not flammable, like natural gas, so there is no danger involved with its delivery to your home or place of business.
Heating Oil Delivery Easton PA
If you are trying to decide how you’re going to heat your new home or business, you may want to learn more about oil. Many people opt for natural gas because they believe it is more cost-effective. While this may appear to be true on the surface, most home and business owners who perform adequate research are surprised to learn that oil is actually the cheaper choice. Not only are oil prices relatively stable, unlike the cost of natural gas, which undergoes price increases based on demand, but since oil heats more quickly and efficiently, less is needed to heat a home or business.
For fast heating oil delivery service, contact R.F. Ohl. We can assure that your delivery will be safe and that our prices will always be affordable. Contact us for friendly and professional service in your area. Click here to see all of the services that R.F. Ohl can do for you.
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