Fuel heating calculator
Compare what it costs to heat your home with different fuels and appliances this season, across the Northeast oil-heat states.
Estimated heating cost for a 1,800 sq ft average home in Rhode Island (Providence), 5,618 HDD/yr. Ranked by delivered cost per MMBTU.
| # | Fuel / Appliance | Season cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Gas — Furnace/Boiler | $1,241 | › |
| 2 | Coal (anthracite) — Furnace/Boiler/Stoveestimated | $1,522 | › |
| 3 | Electricity — Geothermal Heat Pump | $1,708 | › |
| 4 | Wood — Stove (catalytic)estimated | $1,770 | › |
| 5 | Wood Pellets — Stoveestimated | $2,006 | › |
| 6 | Wood — Stove (non-catalytic)estimated | $2,022 | › |
| 7 | Electricity — Air-Source Heat Pump | $2,562 | › |
| 8 | Fuel Oil #2 — Furnace/Boiler | $3,650 | › |
| 9 | Propane — Furnace/Boilerestimated | $4,239 | › |
| 10 | Electricity — Furnace/Baseboard | $5,636 | › |
Assumptions & method
- Delivered $/MMBTU =
price / (BTU·per·unit / 1,000,000) / efficiency. Heat pumps have efficiency > 1 (COP / climate-adjusted HSPF), so they can beat combustion fuels. - Season cost uses the heating-degree-day method:
24 × HDD × UAwhereUA = sqft × heat-loss factor(0.28 BTU/hr·°F per sqft for average). HDD for Providence is 5,618 (base 65°F, NOAA 1981–2010 normal). - Prices: heating oil (EIA SHOPP, wk ending 2026-03-30), electricity (EIA, Apr 2026), and natural gas (EIA, Mar 2026) are real per-state figures. Rows marked estimated (propane, wood, pellets, coal) are regional seed values. Prices exclude taxes.
- Heat-loss factors are first-pass heuristics — treat results as a relative ranking of fuels; calibrate against real bills before trusting absolute dollar figures. Full sourcing in METHODOLOGY.md.