Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Adams Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Adams, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Adams households 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%).
Adams County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,805,138 | 291,502 | 1,481,338 | 646,118 | 111,006 | 7,892 | 31,343 |
| 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 Adams
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Adams. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of families using number two heating oil fell from 837,082 to 663,450, a 21% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Adams
Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose 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 Adams
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Adams. 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 Adams
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Currently, 7,204 homes in Adams are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 240% gain from 2015, when 2,117 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Adams County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Adams County homeowners purchased a total of 622,704 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Adams’s overall heating oil usage varies from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Adams was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Adams County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Adams County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Adams families heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 6 heating oil companies that serve Adams is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 4 “full-service” oil companies that serve Adams. Full service companies such as Aero Energy or Smart Touch Energy offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC 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 customer does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Adams cash heating oil companies serving Adams include Edris Oil Service Inc Inc and Edris Oil Service Inc.
Adams Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Adams: 6 companies .
Average Number of Adams Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 110575
Adams Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 residences in Adams heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Adams temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Adams houses rely on oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Adams County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Adams County Households | Adams County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
9 Adams Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 507,486,889 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Adams families the last heating season, the Adams community relies on its 9 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 Adams, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Adams and the surrounding vicinity.
