Why Purchasing Your Heating Oil In Summer Is The Best Choice
Heating oil isn’t something that people generally think a lot about in summer. However, this is actually the best time to start thinking about winter heating fuel. The sun is shining, your boiler isn’t doing much, and you have ample opportunity to maintain your heating system and start planning for the future. Getting ready for the coming winter now is important because the cold season will be here before you know it. Taking care of things early-on will ensure that your living environment remains both safe and comfortable when the temperatures plummet. Following are a few summer heating oil tips that you can put to use right now.
Summer Heating Oil Tips to Use Right Now
Contents
- 1 Summer Heating Oil Tips to Use Right Now
- 1.1 1. Take Advantage of Lower Fuel Oil Costs
- 1.2 2. Have Your Oil Tank Inspected
- 1.3 3. Schedule Service for Your Oil-Fired Heating System
- 1.4 4. Have Your Outdoor Tank Secured
- 1.5 5. Use the Available Downtime to Your Advantage
- 1.6 6. Make Sure That the Pipe Fill Is Accessible
- 1.7 7. Find a Good Oil Delivery Service
- 1.8 8. Prevent Condensation in Your Oil Tank
- 1.9 Conclusion
- 2 Call Lawes Company For Fast & Reliable Oil Deliveries
1. Take Advantage of Lower Fuel Oil Costs
Heating oil demand peaks in winter. Countless homes use this heating fuel to fire their boilers and furnaces, and this pushes fuel prices up. If you decide to wait until demand is at its highest before buying fuel oil, you’re going to have to deal with soaring heating oil prices. Demand is low during summer. Oil companies are often offering impressive discounts to encourage homeowners to buy fuel during this season. Why not take advantage of these offers now? Think about how much fuel oil you’re going to need in the winter and then call your order in. Place your order now!
2. Have Your Oil Tank Inspected
Summer is also the perfect time to have your oil tank thoroughly inspected. The weather is nice, and you can easily walk around your yard and check each inch of the outside tank. Make sure that your oil tank is in excellent condition. As time goes on, these units can develop various forms of damage, including cracks, holes, and rust. These are problems that can let moisture in to cause problems. While you’re doing this, inspect the legs of the tank to make sure that they’re stable and check to ensure that all lids are nice and tight. Take a proactive approach to schedule a heating oil tank replacement if you need one due to excess wear or age.
3. Schedule Service for Your Oil-Fired Heating System
Although homeowners may be able to spot certain signs of heating system damage, some subtle clues may be missed. HVAC companies are trained to spot developing problems in oil-fired systems before they’ve already spiraled. These professionals are also able to reach areas of heating systems that are difficult to access. They can perform highly advanced inspections when checking for problems. They’ve got the right tools for performing comprehensive tune-ups and cleanings. Be sure to schedule service for your boiler or furnace at least once annually. With professional help, your heater will enjoy a longer lifespan and provide consistently reliable performance.
4. Have Your Outdoor Tank Secured
There’s valuable fuel stored in outdoor tanks. Unfortunately, these containers are out in the open, and they are a common target for fuel thieves. Some may siphon out your home heating oil and resell it. They may even track the arrival of delivery trucks to find out which homes have had their fuel supply replenished. Keep your tank secure by having it in a location that isn’t visible from the road. You may need to plant bushes around it or install a fence to make sure that it isn’t visible to prying eyes. Just be sure that there is ample clearance around the perimeter of your tank for optimum safety and airflow. You can additionally install a tank lock and set up CCTV cameras.
5. Use the Available Downtime to Your Advantage
If you are getting ready for major changes in your home’s heating oil system, the summer is a great time to take care of these things. You can replace your old oil tank to avoid problems or to get greater storage capacity. Boilers should be upgraded and repaired in the summer too. It may even be time to take care of a whole HVAC system replacement if you’ve been paying for repairs with increasing frequency. These projects can take some time, so it’s best to handle them when the availability of heating isn’t a critical issue.
6. Make Sure That the Pipe Fill Is Accessible
There should be easy access to the fill pipe for your heating oil tank so that heating oil delivery drivers can get everything done smoothly. These areas are prone to becoming overgrown with aggressive foliage. You should check this area every so often to make sure that this isn’t happening and to clear excess brush away. Carefully track the growth of trees and bushes around your heating oil tank and trim these features as needed. When the fill pipe is cleared, mark the location so that it can be easily found by your oil delivery team.
7. Find a Good Oil Delivery Service
If you aren’t happy with the way your orders have been handled by your current oil delivery service in the past, look for a better oil company to work with during the summer. Find your provider’s top competitors and see what other consumers have to say. Other businesses may have better track records for delivering on time. You might be able to find better discounts and lower overall rates. Talk with your neighbors, friends, and family members to see what their experiences with local fuel oil delivery companies are.
If you aren’t already a Lawes Company customer, be sure to contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!
8. Prevent Condensation in Your Oil Tank
Condensation in home heating oil tanks is one very common way in which these containers sustain damage. Water leads to corrosion and can weaken the tank’s walls from within. This can get much worse if your home heating oil tank is almost empty, given that moist air will fill up the open space. Even in summer, it’s best to keep your tank full. Having a heating oil delivery set up in summer is a great way to avoid issues with oil tank condensation.
Conclusion
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, summer is actually the best time to take care of your boiler and heating oil tank. Tinkering with these things in the winter can be a challenge, given that you’ll be actively relying on them during this time. However, heating equipment is usually idle in summer, so go ahead and take care of maintenance while you have the opportunity and time. Review your heating oil budget and look for better ways to have this essential resource delivered.
Call Lawes Company For Fast & Reliable Oil Deliveries
Lawes Company offers trusted and affordable heating oil deliveries. We are known for our honest heating oil prices and skilled services. Not only that, but we also offer HVAC services which also impact how much fuel your system requires to keep your home warm and safe.
We offer different heating oil plans and financing options as a way to customize your fuel deliveries to meet your needs. Be sure to contact Lawes Company today to ask for more information or request service.
Contact us now at (732) 741-6300 to find out more!