How Much Heating Oil Will I Use A Day?
Households that use heating oil must ensure ample supply throughout the winter. Unlike natural gas, which flows on demand, heating oil comes via fuel deliveries and resides in an onsite storage tank. If you can figure out how much you need in a day, you can calculate your requirements for the entire season. It’s not as hard as you think. In this article, we answer the question, “How much heating oil will I use a day?”.
Factors That Affect Heating Oil Usage
Below, we discuss some of the factors that influence your heating oil consumption.
Home Size & Design
All else being equal, the heating load is dependent on the size of the home. The bigger your home is, the more energy is required to warm up the space. If you have a small home, a modest tank should get the job done. If you have a large house, you will need a large tank for fuel storage.
You should also consider the house design. How high are the ceilings? These affect the overall volume, so you can’t just focus on the floor area. How thick are the walls? What is the R-value of the insulation material? These will influence your energy needs, too.
Ambient Temperature
What is the climate in your region? Fuel consumption tends to be higher for homes located up north than those in the south. That’s because their winters produce lower temperatures, so furnaces and boilers must work harder to heat home interiors. Therefore, homes in colder climates will require more frequent heating fuel deliveries.
Heating Equipment Condition
Machines, such as HVAC systems, are prone to wear and tear. They require regular maintenance to prevent damage. If your oil furnace undergoes regular professional tune-up, you can be confident about its long-term performance and efficiency. An annual visit from local technicians should be enough. For best results, do it before it gets cold in your area.
Heating Oil Tank Size
Oil storage tanks come in different sizes. Their average capacity is around 275 gallons. That is enough to last 4.5 months in a typical home if the outdoor temperature is steady at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Consumption is about 2 gallons per day, so a full tank is good for the entire winter.
Of course, those numbers assume ideal conditions. Temperature is never steady in the real world. It can drop the next day significantly. It can break record lows and test your readiness to cope with the change. When the thermostat reads 40 degrees, your heating system will need around 3.7 gallons of oil. That translates to a 74-day coverage for the full tank.
The season can get much colder. It isn’t rare to experience 20-degree weather in certain regions. A typical home under this situation will consume 7 gallons of oil per day. If it keeps up, the 275-gallon tank will be empty after Day 39.
Winter temperatures tend to fluctuate from 20 degrees to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. With an average of 30 degrees, most homes consume about 5.3 gallons of oil each day. Our sample tank will therefore last roughly 52 days at the peak of winter. You will need to schedule another delivery before it runs out of oil.
The average tank size we mentioned is generally adequate for most homes. If your tank has a smaller volume, you must conduct careful monitoring of the current oil level, so you never run out. Once you get a feel for your household consumption patterns, you can create a dependable refill schedule.
Estimating Requirements Using Historical Data
It is easy to make estimates if you are familiar with your heating system. You get to know these things after living in the same home for many years. You can also get hard numbers from your old heating bills. Keep every receipt for reference. These will show you the daily, monthly, and yearly consumption figures.
If you just bought the house, you can call the previous owner for information. You may also make inquiries with your neighbors. Their numbers should not be far from yours if their homes are roughly of the same size. After all, you share the same climate. Lastly, you can use the local heating oil delivery companies as your source of expert information.
Average Heating Oil Consumption per Unit Area
Let’s go back to our initial premise: home size affects energy needs. In the US, the average size of residential dwellings is 2,687 sq ft. Your home may lean higher or lower than this.
Homes consume 1.47 gallons per day at 40 degrees Fahrenheit per 1,000 square feet. Therefore, a house with 3,500 square feet will need 1.47 multiplied by 3.5, or 5.15 gallons.
Using Heating Oil to Power Water Heaters
Most modern water heaters use one of the following energy sources: heating oil, natural gas, propane, and electricity. Homes that require heating oil for both the furnace and the water heater will have to make computational adjustments.
On average, you will need to add 0.5-1.0 gallons of fuel as a daily usage estimate. Use the low end if you only have a few people in the household and the high end for a big family and home.
Final Word
Knowledge is power. Know your daily heating oil consumption based on standard values per area and temperature. You can also make use of historical data to anticipate future needs. Call local heating oil experts for additional help and set up a delivery schedule that works for you.
Call Van Varick & Sons For All Your Home Heating Needs
For all your HVAC and oil delivery needs, contact Van Varick & Sons. We have some of the most highly qualified and professionally certified technicians in Northern New Jersey. Each of our friendly techs can conduct all kinds of HVAC services, such as oil tank upgrades, boiler repair, ductless installations, furnace replacements, and more.
We have various oil delivery plans and financing options. This way, you can customize your fuel deliveries to meet your needs. Our heating oil delivery and HVAC services are affordable and are done accurately and promptly at all times.
All of our services come with a guarantee. Our HVAC maintenance services improve your energy efficiency and home comfort while decreasing your HVAC costs. We can also assist you when you need to replace your heating and cooling system. We will help you find the best make and model for your home without sacrificing your budget. Our experts have the skills, training, and experience to ensure that all your home comfort needs are met. Book an appointment with us today. Call Van Varick & Sons for a free, in-home estimate.
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