Why Replace an Oil Furnace With Central Air?

Cost

• The cost of oil is one of the primary reasons for the switch from an oil furnace to a central heating and cooling system. Fluctuations in the price of oil throughout the world make it difficult to guess what oil prices will be over the long term. The natural gas for gas furnaces is delivered directly into the home from a remote source via pipeline, and the price tends to not fluctuate as much.

Cleanliness

• Oil-burning furnaces have the potential for developing leaks and have a shelf life of about 20 years. Storage tanks for the oil can corrode during that time frame -- so much so that insurance companies sometimes require that you have an insurance policy to cover the possibility of any spills. With a central air conditioning and gas furnace system, no mess is possible, aside from potential damage caused by air conditioning condensate.

Efficiency

• Another reason to replace an oil-burning furnace with a more modern heating and cooling system is the energy efficiency difference. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the maximum efficiency of an oil-burning furnace system tends to be around 56 to 70 percent. However, modern gas systems can achieve efficiency ratings of as high as 97 percent, according to the department. This can save you money both in the short term and long term.

Conversion

• It can be costly to make the conversion from an oil-burning furnace to a gas furnace and central air conditioning system. This is usually cited as one reason to not switch. However, the energy savings in switching from oil to gas can pay for conversion in the long run, especially if you install a system that has the highest possible efficiency ratings. This will help you recover the cost quickly.