Throughout the winter, homes in the United States use their heating system to stay warm and comfortable. Heating systems can use different fuel sources to generate heat. Two of the most common fuels that are used in the northeastern parts of the country are natural gas and heating oil.
Since the construction of natural gas pipelines have made natural gas more accessible to homes, homeowners in these areas tend to question if they should convert their homes to natural gas instead of using heating oil. One of the biggest factors that play a role when making this type of decision is safety. In this article, we will focus on fuel safety and what this means for you, as a homeowner.
Natural Gas And The Environment
Natural gas is now being made accessible to homes, that otherwise, did not have have the option to convert to natural gas previously. Natural gas pipelines and their associated power plants are being built, creating a transportation network, where natural gas can be easily brought into homes as its fuel source. This gives homeowners the option to convert to natural gas.
However, this comes at a hefty price. Natural gas pipelines wreak havoc on the environment. The environmental issues that are caused by these new pipelines will never be reversed. Therefore, the damage to the environment and its ecosystem is permanent. The concerns include global warming emissions, air pollution, land destruction, wildlife desecration, and much more. Not only do these newly built pipelines create a serious issue for the environment, but their associated power plants also come with a slew of issues. In the following article by the David Suzuki Foundation, they discuss this in further detail:
Natural gas-fired power plants do emit lower levels of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides than coal-fired plants, but these emissions still contribute to acid rain and ground-level ozone, both of which can damage forests and agricultural crops.
Ground-level ozone (commonly called smog) has also been linked to a range of respiratory illnesses. More recently, ground-level ozone has been linked to the development of childhood asthma, the “most common chronic disease” among children.
Possibly more troubling are the emissions of fine particulates from gas-fired power plants. Though particulate emissions are about ten per cent of those produced by coal power, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 77 per cent of particulates from natural gas plants are dangerously small. These fine particulates have the greatest impact on human health because they by-pass our bodies’ natural respiratory filters and end up deep in the lungs. In fact, many studies have found no safe limit for exposure to these substances.
Using natural gas as a “transition fuel” also poses risks. That’s because pipelines required to transport natural gas from its source to the power plant are expensive. High pipeline costs have to be spread out by building several gas-fired power plants that last a generation. Even the best-case scenario shows that natural gas is not a solution to climate change.
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This article clearly suggests that these pipelines are not the best solution for heat generation. The environment suffers gravely. It also causes severe health issues. Although heating oil uses a transportation network of pipes to move crude oil from one location to another, it is usually a safer method than any other form of transportation. Natural gas pipelines and power plants obviously have proven to have dire consequences that are irreversible to the environment and your health.
Although you may not be able to completely control the building of power plants and invasive natural gas pipelines, your dollars speak volumes. When you choose not to convert your home to natural gas, you show that you don’t support these natural gas pipelines and power plants that are ruining your health and the environment around you. There are many homeowners who have decided to voice their opinion in this manner.
Natural Gas And Your Home
Gas Leaks
We have read and understood that the natural gas transportation network isn’t really in the best interests of the environment and your health. However, what about your home? It is not uncommon to hear about natural gas explosions on the news. In fact, the frequency at which we hear about them is alarming.
Gas leaks are a serious issue. Many gas companies soften the impact of these explosions by claiming that natural gas leaks only happen by heating systems that are not properly maintained. However, in an article found in The Atlantic, labeled “Gas Leaks Are Everywhere”, you can clearly read that this gas leak inspector claims that this is not the case.
I was required to document all the leaks that I found, but the gas company only immediately fixed those leaks that were within five feet of an enclosure.
But over time, I learned a surprising truth: The bulk of the gas leaks identified are left leaking. Those between five to 15 feet from a house or structure would receive a check-up after six months. Leaks more than 15 feet from a building were noted but required no special attention.
No matter how much work we do to police them, there will be gas leaks for as long as there are gas lines. Even if the number of people surveying and repairing gas lines drastically increased in the next year, old leaks would still persist and new ones would still appear.
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Gas companies add mercaptan to give natural gas a “sulphur-like, rotten egg” smell. Without this, natural gas is odorless and it isn’t detectable by the senses. Some homeowners are very sensitive to this smell. Unfortunately, many people are not capable of detecting this smell and do not realize that they have a gas leak until it is too late.
In the meantime, they can possibly deal with headaches, fatigue, nausea, irregular breathing, and dizziness. When homeowners are unaware of a gas leak in their home, it can lead to a gas explosion. It is all too common to hear about a natural gas explosion in homes across the country. Even if a gas leak doesn’t lead to an explosion, natural gas leaks lead to serious health issues and even deaths.
Uncontrollable Gas Leaks
Even if you maintain your heating system and take all of the necessary precautions to avoid a gas leak in your home, there are some situations that are beyond your control. Gas explosions affect more than just a single home. In typical explosions, neighboring houses were affected as well.
Additionally, gas supplies were cut off to these areas for some time due to hazardous and dangerous circumstances. Furthermore, natural weather conditions can negatively affect natural gas pipes to the point of breaking. In an article by energy.gov, they discuss this in further detail.
Severe storms, flooding, and earthquakes can expose and break pipes, however. When disruptions do occur, it can take weeks or even months to restore. Homeowners should take care in identifying and reporting any problems, as they may pose substantial risk to public health and safety. A break in a natural gas pipeline can lead to fires and/or explosions.
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As this article mentions, gas leaks can be caused by gas pipes breaking due to atmospheric conditions. When this happens, it can take weeks to correct. This means that homeowners will go without the fuel that they depend on in order to heat their home. This will pose a major challenge if this were to occur in the middle of winter when it is dangerously cold out.
Gas Supply Interruptibles
Another factor that homeowners need to understand about using natural gas is that there is always a probability of curtailment or a gas supply interruptible. This can be caused by a gas explosion or a pipeline breaking. It can also be caused by a shortage in supply or when the demand for service exceeds the pipe’s capacity. This is not uncommon.
For this reason, many homeowners who use natural gas have to consider alternative fuel sources. Homeowners who have had to deal with an interruptible have sometimes gone without natural gas for hours or even days at a time. Going without heat or the appliances that are powered by natural gas leaves homeowners in a bad predicament.
Furthermore, even before an interruptible or curtailment takes place, natural gas prices escalate astronomically which can be very difficult when budgeting for home heating costs. In the following article by Ethanol Producer Magazine, they discuss this in further detail.
When facing the potential for curtailment, plants have to consider more than simply losing their natural gas supply—they must also consider the cost of natural gas. Extreme cold snaps can cause the demand for natural gas to increase significantly, resulting in prices of natural gas skyrocketing alongside demand before a curtailment event happens.
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Heating Oil
For homeowners who heat their home with heating oil, there are many benefits that they experience. For one, when it comes to safety, heating oil is hard to surpass. First and foremost, heating oil is not combustible. What this means is that heating oil is non explosive.
Heating oil does not burn in a liquid state. You can light a match, place it into a tank filled with heating oil, and the only thing that will happen is that the match would become extinguished. When natural gas is mixed with air, it is extremely explosive.
Furthermore, there are no undetected dangerous carbon monoxide leaks which cause serious health issues, including death for homeowners who use natural gas. Heating oil systems give clear signs when there is an issue that needs to be addressed. You will smell oil before any major issues typically occur. Oil leaks generally happen with fuel oil systems that have not been professionally maintained.
Any heating system, regardless of their fuel source, will have issues if it is not maintained. However, natural gas heating systems can have a cracked heat exchanger which will cause an undetectable gas leak to unsuspecting homeowners. Heating oil is produced from crude oil. Crude oil supplies are plentiful and so homeowners will not face an interruption of service. For these reasons alone, this makes heating oil a more reliable and safe source for heating.
Anyone who uses fuel oil to heat their home has the peace of mind that their health will not be sabotaged. There are no explosions or undetectable gas leaks associated with it. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, heating oil does not transport your fuel through a network of sketchy pipes that are directly connected to your home. This is unlike natural gas, which has pipes connected directly to your home that always pose the possibly of a leak.
Better Home Heat Council focuses on educating both homeowners and commercial properties about oil heat. We provide knowledge on topics that involve the economical and efficient use of oil heat. This also includes energy efficiency issues. We help consumers pay reduced home heating and cooling costs while helping them minimize their carbon footprint. We support local oil companies of Lehigh Valley that provide a range of services and products. Click here to search for a home heating oil supplier in your area. Many of our oil dealers provide energy consultations for their customers.