Average Home Heating Oil Usage on Long Island
The most common question among people who use home heating oil is how much oil I will need this winter. It’s no wonder, as heating oil is delivered at exact amounts (like coal and wood, and unlike electricity of natural gas), so it’s best to estimate the consumption with the highest possible accuracy before the heating season, allowing us to plan the seasonal heating budget. Here is an estimate of how many gallons of oil the average-sized home on Long Island uses.
| Day’s Average Outside Temperature in °F | | Approximate Gallons used in 24 Hour Period |
|---|---|
| 15 | 7.8 |
| 20 | 7.0 |
| 25 | 6.2 |
| 30 | 5.3 |
| 35 | 4.5 |
| 40 | 3.7 |
| 45 | 2.8 |
| 50 | 2.0 |
There are many factors which determine your annual heating oil consumption. Considering you didn’t change your lifestyle and expectations regarding room temperature and time spent at home, you can have an outlook, but it’s hard to forecast what the weather would be in the long term. Most accurate weather forecasting systems can give you forecasts which can show you “likely weather trends” for a 5 to 30 days period. And the heating season on Long Island lasts five to six months. It’s best to use average values, and rely on your own experience from the previous few seasons. Since 2010 there have been both sharp and mild winters, also some winters were average.
Many Long Islanders will tell you different values of their fuel consumption during a season, even if their home sizes are similar. It is because not all homes are the same, even if they are built following the same project. A house might look exactly like another, but its thermal insulation may be compromised, windows may be worn out, and the heating system may be old or improperly maintained. This is why you should hear that someone can consume only 600 gallons to heat up a 2,000 square feet home, while someone else may need as much as 1,500 gallons for their house of the same, or at least similar size.
On average, a 2,000 square feet home on Long Island will consume about 700 to 900 gallons during an averagely cold winter.
There are a number of measures you can take to lower your heating oil usage. Most of these pay back quickly.
- Buy high quality fuel oil. Oil which is low in sulfur and/or contains 5% to 20% of biofuel will burn more efficiently and extend your furnace’s life.
- Strict maintenance. Annual check-ups are a must. Replacing air filters at least several times throughout a year, and regular cleaning of your filters, burner nozzle and other sensitive parts are also essential. This should help your burner retain its efficiency level.
- Smart thermostats. Although not quite cheap, they can help you use your fuel smarter. With a smart thermostat you will be burning less oil, especially when you’re not at home. When you go to work in the morning, it would stop heating the home, to restart it an hour or less before you come back. Day by day, you can save really much. These thermostats can also be controlled remotely using a smartphone app, so you won’t even have worries while coming back home from a long trip.
- Cash on Delivery (COD) instead a fuel contract. COD oil is usually sold at a discount price, and you can always specify an amount which best suits your needs and your budget. You can also make additional savings by comparing prices on a fuel oil price comparison website such as HeatingOilExpress.com.