I live in the south, so I will admit that I do not have to use the oil furnace very often.
In fact, the vast majority of people in my state do not even have furnaces.
I’m sure no one who has lived here their whole lives has ever even heard of a boiler heating system, heated flooring, or any of the commonly-used heating techniques in the north. In the south, the most proper forms of heating are central heating and portable electric or portable gas furnaces that you plug into the wall. Therein lies a big problem. People are so unfamiliar with gas furnaces that they do not use caution when they use the little heaters. Because we are so unfamiliar with cold weather, when it is cold, we lose our minds and can think of nothing else except getting the oil furnace out to warm us up. In most instances, the gas furnaces we use are older models and don’t necessarily have the latest safety features. Therefore, every year, we hear stories about lake house fires due to improperly using heaters! Most of the time, people are able to get out of the houses, however sometimes the fires occur at night when people are sleeping. The gas furnaces keep them warm, however the risk is too high, in my opinion. If you are trying to split utility costs, I understand that. However if you are going to use portable heaters, be sure to use the ones that have built in safety features! Also, be sure not to place them near loose fabric such as sheets you might kick off the bed at night and curtains.