Hunter Geist, Author at FuelSnap

Configuring the Right Tank Size for your Smart Oil Gauge

October 28, 2024May 10, 2024

The Smart Oil Gauge is a very accurate tank sensor that is able to give you an accurate reading of the amount of oil that’s currently in your tank. However, it’s important that your gauge is configured for the right tank size. Making sure that your gauge is setup for the right tank size is very important. This will determine weather or not your gauge is accurate when it’s installed onto the tank. In this article, I’ll be discussing how to ensure that your gauge is setup for the right tank size so that your readings will be accurate!

Tank Compatibility

The first thing that should be mentioned is tank compatibility. It’s important to know if the Smart Oil Gauge is compatible with your tank or not. Standard Granby and Roth tanks are the most common tanks that the Smart Oil Gauge is installed onto. Granby tanks are normally found in many sizes, but the most common sizes tend to be 275 & 330 gallon tanks. These tanks will normally have a 2″ NPT fitting for the gauge to be installed onto. If it’s not a standard 2″ fitting, you’ll need an adapter. I go into this in a bit more depth in this article here.

Meanwhile, Roth tanks are a bit more specific. The Smart Oil Gauge is compatible with all Roth tanks except 1500L tanks. This is because these tanks have an interior support baffle that will prevent the gauge from reading less than half a tank. Additionally, Roth tanks require an adapter for installation of the gauge. These adapters are very important for the Smart Oil Gauge. Without these adapters, the gauge won’t be able to send the signal properly and the gauge will always read as full. You can purchase the Roth adapter on our website. If you have a Duo, you’ll need the Duo adapter, but if you have a regular Smart Oil Gauge, you’ll need the standard adapter.

These are what the Roth tanks will usually look like. The gauge is compatible with all of these tanks except the 1500L. The adapters we offer for these tanks will usually look like what you see above.

Setting up the Gauge with the Right Tank Size

When you are configuring your Smart Oil Gauge, it’s important to know what tank size your gauge is setup with. Usually upon setup, the process will ask you what tank size your tank is based on various options shown on the app. These will consist of vertical and horizontal options for 275 and 330, Roth 620L and Roth 1000L tank orientations. If one of those is your tank size, then select it and the gauge will be able to read for it!

However if your tank is not listed on the app, then you’ll need to get a custom tank ID. You can contact our support line with your tank’s dimensions and we’ll be happy to program your tank size into our system! Once your tank size is programed, we’ll provide you with your custom tank ID, and the gauge will start to read for your unique tank size! You can reach out support team to get your custom tank ID at 203-456-1499 option 3 or email us at contact@smartoilgauge.com!

Correct Tank Orientation

While this might not seem like it would have a bit impact, it does. Ensuring that your gauge is configured for the right orientation is very important. This can determine weather or not your gauge is reading correctly or not. You’ll want to know if your tank is oriented horizontally or vertically. Vertical tanks are usually round on top, while horizontal tanks are flat on top like a table. This will usually only apply to ovular Granby tanks. But, knowing what your tank’s orientation is can help the gauge read correctly.

330 Vertical and Horizontal Home Heating Oil Tank — This is usually what the tank orientation should look like. The biggest and most important difference is the height. This can determine how accurate the gauge will be for a tank of your size.

In the off chance that your gauge isn’t configured for the right orientation, your gauge will be inaccurate. I have seen instances where clients have had their gauge set to read for a 275 vertical tank, only for their gauge to be a horizontal 275. This can often cause your gauge to read that you have half a tank of oil, but in actuality, you’re about to run out! So, it’s very important to compare your tank with the image provided on the app when setting up the gauge.

Changing the Tank Size in the App

If you already have your gauge setup in the app then you’ll need to change the tank size. To do this, you’ll want to start off in the screen that says “Tank Detail” on the top. Once you’re here, you’ll want to get to the “Tools” screen. This can be little different depending on if you’re using an Android or IOS device. For iPhone users, all you have to do is click on the gear on the bottom left, and it will take you to the “Tools” screen. But for android users, you’ll have to click on the three dots on the top right and select “configure”. This will take you to the “Tools” screen.

After doing this, you will be taken to a screen where you will see various options such as Tank Settings, Alerts and Sensors. Click on your tank under the sensors section and you will be brought to a screen where you will see various options such as Sensor Name, Upload Interval & Tank Style. Select “Tank Style” and it will take you a screen where you can choose between various different sizes. If you don’t see your size there, click on advanced on the top right and input your custom tank ID. This will allow the Smart Oil Gauge to read your tank accurately!

In the above photo, you’ll see what the steps are to change your tank size! If you aren’t using an adapter, you can leave the sensor offset alone. You will also only need to use the custom tank size if your tank size doesn’t appear in the list of tank sizes.

Ensuring that You Have the Right Tank Size

It’s very important to ensure that your gauge is reading for the right tank size and orientation. So be sure to double check what your gauge is set to and what your tanks dimensions are! They can really make a huge difference for the accuracy of the gauge. The last thing you’ll want is to wake up in the morning to a cold house during the winter!

If you’re unsure if the gauge is reading for the correct size, or are simply having trouble configuring the gauge, please let us know! Our support team is always willing to help get the gauge online if you are ever struggling to get the gauge online!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Using the WPS Method for your Smart Oil Gauge

October 14, 2024May 8, 2024

There are a few methods to use for getting your Smart Oil Gauge setup. One of which is the WPS method. WPS standard for WIFI protected setup and is used to establish a secure connection between the router and whatever device you are pairing. However, not all routers and devices are able to use the WPS method. So in this article, I’ll be covering how to identify if you router has a WPS method and how to configure the gauge using this method.

The WPS Button

The WPS button is a button that is located on your router and is used to get your gauge into the WPS mode. This mode can be used to reconnect an existing device to your network if you’ve changed any of the credentials. It can also be used to connect new devices to your network for the first time. This button is normally located on either the front or back of your router, and it can take many appearances. Most of the time, the button itself will say WPS or it will look like two arrows chasing each other. However, depending on your router and ISP, it could look either like a globe or a lock.

Pressing this button will cause the router to enter the WPS connection mode. This will allow your router to connect to devices in the same WPS mode. However, you’ll have to be quick because the router will only be in this mode for about 2-3 minutes on average. There is a little light on the front of your router that will typically start flashing once it enters this mode. This will notify you that the router is in the WPS connection mode.

But you might be asking, what devices you can connect using the WPS mode. Well, the Smart Oil Gauge is one of them! Similar our other methods, you have to press the button on the top right of the gauge in a specific way. I’ll be touching on that later on in this post. Surprisingly, cell phones and gaming consoles don’t offer a WPS connection. Most cell phones operate off of a simple WIFI connection, while gaming consoles can use either WIFI or ethernet connections. The most common devices that include WPS are smart TVs, blue-ray disk readers, security cameras and printers.

Setting Up The Gauge With the WPS Method

To setup the gauge using the WPS method, you will first need to bring the gauge over to your router. This will make the process a bit easier in getting the gauge setup. Like all setup methods, we recommend that you setup the gauge before you install it on the tank This will make the process of getting the gauge setup and configured much easier in the long run.

Once you have the gauge by the router, locate the WPS button and press it. You should see your router start to light up and flash. Once it’s starting to do this, you’ll need to press and hold on the gauge’s config button once for three seconds (count one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand). This will cause the gauge to start flashing three times per second. Once the gauge is in this config mode, you don’t have to do anything! Just keep an eye on the blinking light and see when it stops flashing.

When the light on the gauge stops flashing, open up your smart oil gauge app and fresh the page. This will require you place your finger on the middle of the screen and swipe down (on IOS devices). For Android devices, there is a refresh button on the top right. Pressing this will refresh the page. But make sure that you are on the same network that you are trying to connect the gauge to so that the app can pick up the gauge on your router.

What to do After the Gauge Shows up on the App?

After the gauge has showed up on the app, you’ll want to select it from the “My Tanks” screen. You will then be brought to the tank detail screen where you’ll now need to get to the tools screen to input your tank’s information. You can access the “tools” screen from the “Tank Detail” screen. On the bottom left on IOS devices, you see a little gear, click that and it will take you to the “Tools” screen. But if you are on android, click the three dots on the top right and select configure to make it to this screen.

After making it to the tools screen, you’ll want to click “Tank Settings” on the top. This section will ask you for your address, zip code and other details. While the address is optional, the Tank name and Zip Code are required. Filling out the address will allow you to order oil from FuelSnap directly from the app. However, this feature is optional! So if you wish to stick with your existing dealer, then feel free to do so!

These are what the “Sensors” and “Tank Settings” screens that you will see in the app. They will allow you to fill out any information that you would need to fill out to order oil on the app.

In the “Sensors” section, this will allow you to change the upload interval and tank style that the gauge is reading for. It is VERY important to have to correct tank size for your Smart Oil Gauge. Without the gauge reading for the correct tank size, it will not read your tank accurately. If your tank size is not listed on the app, then simply reach out to us via email or telephone and we will be happy to configure the gauge for the correct tank size.

What To Do if None of these Work Out

If you’re unable to get the gauge connected and setup using the WPS method, feel free to reach out to us with the gauge’s serial number! The serial number is located on the inside of the cap and is the long all-numerical number. With the serial number, we will be able to find out if the gauge was ever able to connect to the internet or not!

You can reach our support team at 203-456-1499 option 3 from 8am-5pm EST, Monday through Friday. If you can’t reach us by phone call, shoot us an email! You can send us an email at contact@smartoilgauge.com!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Using a Smart Oil Gauge on an Outdoor Tank

September 30, 2024April 26, 2024

The Smart Oil Gauge is a useful tool that can tell you how much oil is in your tank, how much you’re burning, and much more! You can install it on both indoor and outdoor tanks. However, using it on an outdoor tank is a little bit different than using it on an indoor tank in your basement. There is a little bit more to know and be aware of when using the gauge on an outdoor heating oil tank. I’ll be covering what you need to know in this article!

The Outdoor Model

The most important thing to know is that there is an outdoor model for the Smart Oil Gauge. This outdoor model is what we recommend you use when installing the Smart Oil Gauge on an outdoor heating oil tank. What is the difference between the indoor and outdoor models you might be asking? Well, the biggest difference to be aware of is that it’s designed with a special sealant on the sensor that makes it less susceptible to the elements. However, even if you are using an outdoor model, it is still important that apply Teflon tape to the top threads of the gauge between the cap. This helps the gauge create an additional seal that helps prevent moisture or condensation from getting into the gauge.

This is an example of an outdoor heating oil tank. It looks to be of a standard 275-gallon size. However, you will tend to see various styles of tanks outdoors. Roth tanks are usually pretty common as well.

Fun fact, you can also use the Smart Oil Gauge Duo on outdoor tanks! The Duo has a special seal on the top of the gauge that is a result of its two-piece cap. This seal will better protect the gauge from the elements of the outdoors. We have done a significant amount of testing with the Duo on outdoor tanks, and we have determined that it can be used on outdoor tanks! So feel free to order a Duo for your outdoor heating oil tank!

Installation On Outdoor Tanks

When installing the Smart Oil Gauge on your outdoor heating oil tank, it’s important to know that there isn’t much of a difference between installing it on an outdoor tank compared to an indoor one. However, when installing it on the tank, you must wrap Teflon tape around the top threads of the gauge. This is to prevent any moisture or condensation from building up within the gauge itself. The Teflon tape creates a seal that helps not only moisture from building up within the gauge but also stops rain from getting inside when it rains.

Additionally, it is important to note that the Smart Oil Gauge is NOT compatible with underground oil tanks. This is because the gauge’s signal gets sent out in a cone shape. So if you were to go ahead and install them on either the fill or vent pipe of the tank, it would not read down in the tank. It would bounce off the sides of the piping and always come back as full.

If your tank is an in-ground tank, you will likely see these pipes sticking up out of the ground. These are the vent and fill pipes. If you were to install the Smart Oil Gauge on one of these tanks, you would likely not be able to read the tank level.

Condensation on the Sensor

Condensation on the sensor itself is common on outdoor tanks. This is because as the sun hits the tank, the oil will produce vapors that will get stuck on the sensor producing moisture and condensation. This can cause the gauge to read all sorts of strange readings. These can range anywhere from full, to empty to fluctuating between the two. Despite these readings being all over the place, this is very easy to fix. All you have to do is take the gauge off the tank and wipe the sensor clean with a dry cloth like a paper towel or washcloth. Doing so will clean off any moisture or condensation on the sensor itself. This will help to ensure your gauge is reading accurately.

To prevent this from happening often, it’s wise to take the gauge off the tank and wipe the sensor clean with a dry cloth every month or so. This can help prevent moisture from building up on the sensor and help clear off any moisture that’s already growing so that the gauge can read accurately. Making sure that the gauge itself is cleared of any moisture or condensation will be able to better benefit the Smart Oil Gauge in it’s ability to read accurately.

The Readings on an Outdoor Heating Oil Tank

While this might come as a shock to some, the readings on outdoor tanks can sometimes be a little odd. This is mostly due to the frequent temperature changes outside and how to sun hits the tank. As it tends to get warmer out, the oil in the tank will expand as it is warmed up from the outside temperature. The same applies to when the sun hits the tanks. This will cause the oil level in the tank to expand. Upon doing so, the gauge will read a bit of oil in the tank then it will slowly go down and back up again. Kind of giving the readings a “wavy” effect. This will cause the readings to rise and dip. If you see this, there is no cause for alarm. This is completely normal.

This is an example of what the readings on an outdoor tank will look like! As you can see there is a little bit of a wave to it. You’ll see this happen as the oil in the tank expands and retracts due to the temperature.

If the outside temperature gets below 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit, the gauge will get some spikes in the level reading. This can cause the gauge to read full when it isn’t. This is only really a problem in states where there is often extreme cold, like Alaska. Sometimes in the northeast when a cold front rolls through you’ll see these types of readings Although it tends to be pretty uncommon here.

Conclusion

The Smart Oil Gauge is a fantastic device to use on an outdoor heating oil tank! Like on an indoor heating oil tank, it will calculate your level and usage based on its ultra-sonic sensor. With the app installed on your phone, you’ll be able to get a reading anywhere!

Different variables will need to be kept in mind while using it on an outdoor tank, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying everything that it has to offer! Just be sure to apply an extra layer of Teflon tape around the top threads, or use the Smart Oil Gauge Duo! After using it for a while, you’ll be thankful that you did!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How Much Heating Oil Does My Tank Have?

September 16, 2024April 17, 2024

When’s time to order heating oil, it’s very important to know how many gallons can fit in your tank. This will allow you to maximize the size of your delivery and take advantage of any discounted pricing that the dealer is currently offering. Some dealers will charge more for less oil you order, so it’s important to know how much is in your tank so that doesn’t happen! If you want to get more information on how to order oil online using FuelSnap, check this article here!

But before you go ahead and order oil, you’ll need to make sure that your tank has enough room for at least 100 gallons of heating oil. For most dealers, they will only deliver a minimum of 100 gallons. Some dealers will deliver less than 100 gallons, but at a MUCH higher price than what it would be at 100 gallons. Additionally, if you order 100 gallons and your tank cannot take the full amount, then you might get an upcharge for not taking the full 100 gallons! This is why it’s so important to know how much oil is in your tank at all times! Not only to prevent running out but to make sure that your tank can fit the amount of oil that you’re ordering. To calculate this, you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions:

What is your Heating Oil Tank’s Style?
What’s the maximum capacity of your tank?
What is the current level of oil in your tank?

You can actually calculate how much oil by subtracting the maximum tank capacity from your current level. It should look something like this:

Current Tank Level – Maximum Tank Capacity = Maximum Delivery Amount

What’s Your Tank Style?

Nowadays, there are a lot of different tank styles to worry about. There are standard steel heating oil tanks by Granby and double-wall steel tanks by Roth. So it can get pretty confusing on what style of tank you might have. But don’t worry, it’s pretty easy to differentiate between the two. So you shouldn’t have to worry about getting them confused.

Traditional Granby Steel Heating Oil Tank — **This is a standard Granby steel tank**

Granby Steel Tanks

Granby steel heating oil tanks are the most common heating oil tank, especially in the United States. They are most often found in sizes of 275 and 330 gallons. They can either have an orientation like the one shown in the above photo or lay flat on its side.

A good way to find out if your tank is a 275 or 330 is by the length of the tank. 275-gallon tanks will tend to be 5′ long while a 330-gallon tank will usually measure 6′ in length. Otherwise, both these tanks are identical. You can view all of the different styles for this tank on Granby’s website here.

**These are the various sizes for a Roth double-walled tank**

Roth Double-Walled Tanks

If you have a new home, live near the ocean, or have recently had your tank replaced in the past couple of years, then you might’ve had this style tank installed into your home. These tanks are called double-walled tanks for a reason. These tanks have an interior plastic tank and a steel-walled exterior tank. The interior plastic tank stores the heating oil and the steel exterior will catch any oil if the interior tank were to fail.

The most common size of tank you’ll see for this is the 1000L which is a 275-gallon tank with a capacity of 250 gallons. There are smaller and bigger sizes available that will hold more or less oil. But if you’re a Smart Oil Gauge user, it’s important to know that the gauge is not compatible with the Roth 1500L. This is because this tank has an internal support baffle that the sensor won’t be able to read past. This will cause the gauge to not read less than half a tank.

Oil Tank Capacity

While your tank might have a maximum capacity of maybe 275 or 330 for example, the tank will never be filled up to the max. This is because not filling it to maximum capacity will prevent the tank from leaking and overflowing. When filling the tank, oil dealers will keep filling the tank until they hear the vent alarm stop.

The vent alarm is normally around 6″ tall and will hang down in the tank positioned under the vent pipe. As oil is slowly filled into the tank, air is then pushed out of the tank through the vented pipe. This will cause the vent alarm to start making a whistling sound. The driver will be able to hear this whistle as he’s pumping oil into the tank. Once the oil reaches the vent alarm, the whistling sound will stop. When this happens, the driver will know when to stop pumping. Depending on your tank size, there will be roughly 5″-6″ of air left in the tank. This is how dealers will rely on filling your heating oil tank. This will also give the dealer a few seconds to turn off the valve to allow them to stop pumping oil into the tank.

These are some examples of various styles to vent alarms. Though they might look different, the concept and how then function is relatively the same!

Now you might be wondering, “What’s my true capacity if it’s not the maximum tank capacity?”. Well, that tends to depend on your tank size. For example, a 275-gallon tank will have a true capacity of around 250 gallons. Meanwhile, a 330-gallon tank will have a true capacity of 300 gallons. You can calculate this by using our heating oil tank calculator! Our tank calculator will automatically determine what your true capacity is once you’ve put in the tank’s dimensions. You will then know what your tank’s true capacity is!

Current Tank Level

Now that you’re aware of what your tank’s maximum capacity is, you’ll need to determine the current level. The easiest way to figure out your current tank level is to purchase a Smart Oil Gauge. It will not only tell you your current tank level, but it will also send you alerts when it’s time to order heating oil! You can also order oil from the app whenever you need it!

But, if you don’t have a Smart Oil Gauge, we can use the float gauge for reference. The float will give you an estimated reading of around 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full. But, if you don’t have a gauge or your tank is underground, you’ll have to refer to a tank chart. This will require you to stick measure the tank and use a heating oil tank chart. Make sure that you are looking at the correct tank size or have the chart that your tank provider provided you with.

This is an example of a float gauge that’s at 3/4 full. This will give you a rough estimate to how much oil is in your tank!

Over time your float gauge will become less accurate and can break. As the years go on, oil and sludge can coat and cover the bobber which can cause issues with accurate readings. If this is the case, or your float gauge breaks, upgrading to a Smart Oil Gauge can be a saving grace.

With the implementation of our Smart Oil Gauge Duo, you’re now able to get a precise reading from 0″-72″ inches! That’s a 7′ operating range that covers the top to bottom for most heating oil tanks! The gauge also has no moving parts! So you don’t have to worry about the device getting caught on the side of the tank or covered in sludge! You’re also able to order oil from local dealers in your area at the touch of a button! You can read up on all the benefits of the Smart Oil Gauge by taking a look at this article here!

By using the Smart Oil Gauge, you’re able to get an accurate level of oil in the tank and order oil at the tip of your fingers!

Conclusion

Keeping all of this information in mind, you should now be able to fully understand how much oil is in your tank! Whether you use a Smart Oil Gauge or the old float gauge is completely up to you! Just be sure to keep an eye on your oil level and track your deliveries, usage, and level and you’ll be able to ensure that you don’t run out again!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

275 Vertical and Horizontal Fuel Oil Tank

What your Provider Doesn’t Tell You: Heating Oil Vs Propane

September 2, 2024April 17, 2024

If you’re a resident of the Northeast, you probably don’t have a lot of options when it comes to heating your home. If you’re one of the few people that has Natural Gas, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. It is an extremely cost-effective way to heat your home. But, it is unfortunately not available everywhere and gas conversion is going to be expensive.

Usually, electric heat and heat pumps will work well for small condos, apartments and places that have regularly mild winters. As for the rest of us, we only have two choices. Those being either Heating Oil or Propane.

Propane is growing in popularity, and you can use it for many things such as gas fireplaces, pool heaters, gas stoves and much more! Due to this, it’s not actually uncommon to have both heating oil and propane in the same house. I’ve spoken to people who use both and both combined can be very effective when it comes to heating your home. But, I’ll be going in depth on both to make sure you understand everything you need to know!

You can use Propane for many different utilities around your home! Such as fireplaces, stove tops and generators.

When Should You Switch Between Heating Oil and Propane?

If your home needs a new furnace or boiler, then this is around the time you should consider switching. Usually the system itself (either heating oil or propane) tends to be the most expensive component in the system change. Due to this, this is a good time to consider changing over to a new fuel. Some important factors that you should consider are listed below:

The Tank: This is the most important part of your system. You should know where it will be place and weather or not you or your provider will own it.

BTUs and Efficiency: While propane is normally considered to be more efficient, oil actually produces more heat per gallon compared to propane.

Freedom to Shop Around: Make sure that you have the ability to choose between suppliers. The last thing you want is to run out of oil and not be able to order any if you run out!

Differences Between Heating Oil and Propane Tanks

This might sounds surprising, but this is can be a deciding factor for a lot of folks who want to upgrade to a new system, or make the switch. A good oil tank will typically last around 30+ years if you maintain it properly. If yours is only a couple of years old, then you don’t need to worry about switching! You still have a lot of time!

However, propane tanks are really only supplied by provider, unless you buy the tank outright. Depending on the size of the propane tank, it can cost upwards of $5,000! Meanwhile, heating oil tanks will normally cost you a couple hundred dollars if you’re getting a standard 275 gallon tank.

There’s also the visual appeal of these tanks. Propane tanks are usually a lot harder to hide compared to heating oil tanks. You can store heating oil tanks indoors in either a garage or basement. Meanwhile, a propane tank usually looks like a big white pill that you will need to store outside a little bit away from the house. However, you can install them underground to keep them out of view.

This is typically what a propane tank will look like outside. Usually in the middle of your yard or off to the side, but they look unappealing to look at in your yard.

Most heating oil tanks will look like this and can be commonly found in your basement or garage! As the homeowner, you’ll always own the tank which will allow you to order from whichever dealer you’d like!

Tank Ownership is Very Important

One of the most overlooked factors of the heating oil systems is who actually owns the tank. Usually, when a company tries to get you to switch to propane from heating oil, they’ll tell you that they provide their own tanks. They’ll usually tell you that this will save you money because you won’t need to buy a tank.

But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While yes, getting your tank through the provider will save you money at the start, it locks you in to ONLY buying from them! This will eliminate any freedom or control that you would normally have over your tank. You even won’t be able order from another dealer because it some states, it’s ILLEGAL to have a supplier fill up a tank from another supplier. The only way to switch from propane providers is to have the tanks removed and have another company install their own, or buy your own.

But, if you have a heating oil tank, then you’re in luck because you always own your tank! Regardless of where it’s installed and where you order from, you will always own your tank! This will be able to give you maximum flexibility and keep you out of an expensive problem.

An important take away from this is that you should make sure that you own your tank to avoid being stuck with only one company.

BTUs and Efficiency

Some folks will usually look at price per gallon to determine if propane is less expensive than heating oil. While this is normal and usually what you should do, you’re actually overlooking two major factors. These would be the Efficiency and BTUs (British Thermal Unit). BTUs will normally represent how much heat a gallon of your desired fuel will produce. Heating Oil is known to produce ALOT of BTUs per gallon. One gallon of heating oil can easily produce 138,500 BTUs, while a gallon of propane can only produce up to 91,500 BTUs. You also shouldn’t forget about the efficiency of your burner. Modern day furnaces are usually 95% more when efficient compared to older furnaces. This also means that 95% of every gallon of propane is going to be converted to heat. However, most oil burners are only about 80%-90% efficient. In the below calculation, we’ll use 85% of our efficiency as an example:

Propane: 91,500 * 0.85 = 82,875 effective BTUs per gallon

Heating Oil: 138,500 * 0.85 = 117,725 effective BTUs per gallon

For a side by side comparison, we should take a look at how many gallons of propane will be required to produce the same amount of heat as one gallon of heating oil. Heating Oil will naturally produce 117,725 BTUs with one gallon compared to propane’s 86,925 per gallon. For propane to generate the same amount of heat as heating oil, you’ll need to use the following equation:

117,725 / 86,925 = 1.35 gallons

You can do an easy price comparison by taking the price per gallon of propane and multiply it by 1.35 to see how it matches up to the price per gallon for heating.

The Freedom to Order from Whoever You’d Like

Usually with heating oil, you’ll have multiple suppliers to buy from. Signing up for automatic delivery and paying the premium price is always an option as well. But using call-by services such as FuelSnap is always preferred. Buying oil whenever you need it is will save you more money in the long term. Especially if you explore dealers and shop around on deliveries to find which dealers you like to order with!

Now with propane, it is INCREDIBLY difficult to to compare prices, because nearly 95% of propane tanks in the northeast are owned by their providers. Unless you’re within the 5% of homeowners that own their tank, you won’t be doing much shopping around. You’ll be stuck with the fixed pricings that your dealers will normally provide you.

With heating oil, the market is much more competitive. Therefore, prices will tend to be a bit more varied. This is because dealers are constantly in competition with each other and will thus try to charge the lowest price per gallon possible. You can also get something like a Smart Oil Gauge to check your oil level from the app on your phone. When your tank runs low, the gauge will alert you and you can order oil and have it delivered usually the same day! You can simply order from the app without calling anyone! You own your tank, so you’re in control on who you do and don’t order from!

Ordering on FuelSnap will look something like this. You can check here frequently to keep up with current prices and order when prices are low!

So What’s the Bottom Line?

At the time of writing, heating oil prices are going down but are currently ranging from $3.26 – $3.70 per gallon on our FuelSnap website. While propane is around $3.87 – $3.90 per gallon according to the EIA. Since you normally need around 1.35 gallons of propane to get the same amount of heat out of one gallon compared to heating oil, the math will tend to be pretty easy when calculating this. This will obviously change over time as we get further into the summer season and prices will see a slow and steady decline.

With this in mind, be careful when your HVAC provider tries to sell you on the benefits of propane. In most cases, they’ll inform you about the benefits because it’s really in their interest. They will usually provide you tanks and you’ll be unable to shop around if you commit to propane. There is very little competition for propane providers, which will allow them to charge whatever they want.

However, there are hundreds of heating oil dealers that are competing for your business on the daily. You’ll be able to compare pricings use sites like FuelSnap and order when ever you need to! Oil will create more heat per gallon compared to propane and will often be delivered same or next day.

But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have both! You’ll save a significant amount of money by using both! They really are a great combination that is very beneficial to use with propane being used for fireplaces, stove tops and generators, while heating oil can be used to heat your home and water! At the end of the day, getting the best of both worlds is too good to turn down!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Amazon Alexa Compatibility with Your Smart Oil Gauge

August 19, 2024April 17, 2024

If you have have a Smart Oil Gauge, chances are that you have more smart devices. For all the amazon fans that use our gauge, you’re in luck! The Smart Oil Gauge is compatible with the Amazon Alexa family of devices. There’s a skill that we have that allows Alexa to connect to your Smart Oil Gauge account! You’ll be able to ask her various questions about your oil level!

As shown above, the Amazon Echo Dot is one of the many Alexa devices to choose from that can communicate to your Smart Oil Gauge device.

How to Link Alexa to your Smart Oil Gauge Account

The process of connecting your Smart Oil Gauge account with your amazon account is very easy to do.

Open up the Alexa App
On the bottom right, click More and select Skills and Games
Search for the Smart Oil Gauge skill by pressing the magnifying glass icon on the top right.
Download the Smart Oil Gauge Skill
Login to your Smart Oil Gauge account after downloading the skill

Once you’ve downloaded the skill and logged into your account, your amazon and Smart Oil Gauge accounts will be linked! Once they’ve been linked you’ll be able to start asking Alexa all kinds of questions!

What Should You Ask Alexa?

To ensure that Alexa knows you’re talking about the Smart Oil Gauge, you should start off by saying “Alexa, talk to Smart Oil Gauge”. This will prompt the Smart Oil Gauge feature to respond. You’ll be able to ask a variety of different questions regarding usage, current level and much more!

Here are some examples of questions that you can ask Alexa using the Smart Oil Gauge skill:

“Alexa, how much oil is currently in my tank?

“When will I need to order more oil?”

“How many days until I run out of oil?”

Asking Alexa these questions will give you a rough timeframe of how many days until you need to order oil! You’ll be do for a fill-up around a quarter of a tank, so be sure to ask Alexa how much oil you have left every couple of days.

With the Smart Oil Gauge linked to your amazon account, you can ask Alexa a variety of different questions regarding your tank status and much more!

What About Google Home?

If you’re an advocate for Google Home devices then you might be wondering about Google Home compatibility. The Smart Oil Gauge was once compatible with Google Home. However in May of 2023, Google discontinued conversational actions. So the Smart Oil Gauge is unfortunately no longer compatible with Google Home devices.

Managing Your Home Heating Oil

There isn’t a better combination than a Smart Oil Gauge with FuelSnap with Alexa integration. You’ll be able to know exactly how much oil is in your tank without having to walk down to the basement. You can simply just ask Alexa how many gallons you have left, are using and when you’ll need to order next!

Additionally by using FuelSnap, you can quickly shop for the best prices of heating oil through the Smart Oil Gauge app. FuelSnap allows you to shop for the best prices available to you and can let you order at the press of a button!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Conserving Heating Oil with an Old Home

August 5, 2024April 17, 2024

If you live in a home that’s on the older side, you probably dread getting your heating bill every winter. As you might know, older homes tend to have older windows and less insulation which will require more heating oil to keep your home at a warm temperature. In this article, I’ll be sharing some tips and tricks on how to conserve your heating oil in an old home while tracking your oil usage.

Areas to Focus On

There are a lot of older houses built in Connecticut. While this does sound appealing to some, it comes with a lot of downsides! For example, if the house was built in the 1800s, then it’ll likely still have windows that were made in the 1800s. These windows are not properly sealed and if it’s windy, the wind can blow papers off tables! This is also important to know because this can cause cold air to blow in which causes the warm air to blow out! This can cause your heating bills to be very expensive!

After talking with some friends and family members who have old homes, they’ve filled me in on some ways that you can save on heating oil and conserve your heating oil as well! But first, it’s important to know the areas you’ll need to focus on first.

Heat Loss – Find out where the heat is escaping from
Heat Generation – Keeping your burner in good condition and ensure it’s running efficiently
Heat Setting – Monitoring your consumption and adjusting your thermostat as necessary

The above home appears to be renovated. However, before the renovations, this house was very much a money sink when it came to heating oil. Before getting the home renovated, this home likely had a lot of issues maintaining heat and keeping the house warm.

Heat Loss: Where’s the Heat Going?

You might take notice that your boiler or furnace could be working overtime. If this is the case, you probably have heat escaping from your home. Usually as warm air escapes, cold air will replace it. This will naturally lower the indoor air temperature of your home. Some key places to take a look for possible escape points would be the following:

Windows
Walls
Doors
Ducts

Windows

Single-pane windows will tend to create more appeal in a lot of older homes. But, they usually do very little in terms of keeping the heat in. Modern windows are normally two-pane with air pockets in between. This small pocket of air will allow as a sort of insulation to keep the heat in your home. If your home uses single-pane windows, you can apply a thin layer of plastic film to provide another seal. It’s easy to install and all you have to do is cut it to size and apply some double-sided tape to keep it steady. Once you’ve secured it, you can use a hair dryer to shrink the plastic wrap in place. If you do it properly, it won’t even be noticeable! This will ultimately make the home feel a lot more comfortable!

Walls

Walls can also tend to be a major contributor to the loss of heat. Due to this, you should consider adding insulation to help you keep the heat in your home. Insulation that’s blown in is usually more cost-effective and can be subsidized through energy auditing from your state. However, the state must offer it. Once you’ve added the extra insulation, you should see a rapid decrease in heating oil usage almost immediately.

Doors

This might seem like a no-brainer, but because doors and always being opened and closed throughout the day, it is unlikely that the door is sealed perfectly shut. Due to this, you’ll often have a draft coming from your exterior doors. This is especially common on the bottom of the door. When it’s cold out, place your hand near the door’s base. If you can feel cold air, you should consider putting down a “door sweep” or “draft blocker”. Many types of these vary in degree of installation, difficulty, and effectiveness. The simplest options can usually be slid right under the door without the use of screws and will do a job of keeping out the cold.

Duct Work

This one might come as a big surprise for many. But the ductwork in your home is very important. A lot of old homes will tend to have “forced hot air” as their form of heating. With a setup like this, your basement furnace will heat air using a heat exchanger. Once the air is hot, the furnace will blow that hot air through the ducks throughout the house. Meanwhile, it will suck air in through the “return vents” throughout the home. Because the room ducts will bring in room-temperature air from the house, the furnace won’t have to heat the cold air from the outside.

But some basements can be VERY cold and unheated. As a result of this, usually, the air in the basement will be constantly cooling the ducts. This can make your furnace work extra hard because it will unintentionally be heating your basement. You can wrap the ducts in insulation to help keep the heat headed to its destination. It will also keep the return air from being cooled unnecessarily when it makes its return to the furnace. The insulation will also help seal any leaks in the ducks which will prevent the hot air from escaping and keep it inside the vents.

Heat Generation: Ensuring that Your Burner is in Good Condition

Your home’s boiler or furnace is the equivalent of a car engine. It produces heat for the home so that you can stay warm. Just like it’s important to change the oil on your car, getting your burner serviced is something that should happen regularly. Annual cleanings and tune-ups will help HVAC technicians notice any possible issues before they happen. Making sure that you stay ahead of the issues with your system will help ensure that your heat will stay on all winter and save you a lot more money in the future.

You should do a furnace tune-up at least every other year. But it is highly recommended to do one every year.

Getting a furnace tune-up done yearly will also help with fatal and dangerous issues. Such as a crack in your heat exchanger. This can cause deadly exhaust gases to enter your home. These fumes contain Carbon Monoxide which is very dangerous to inhale. If this happens, then it’s time you replace your furnace.

Usually, oil-fired furnaces are built to last for 20-30 years. However, if your system is much older than 20 years old, you should consider getting it replaced. Newer systems tend to be much more efficient, and quiet and generally output more heat than older systems. Getting a tank monitor like the Smart Oil Gauge will be able to help you collect data on your heating oil usage and level. It can help you calculate how much oil is being burned and can help you figure out how much a new system will save you in the long run.

This is an example of a new heating oil system. This new system will save you a significant amount of money and can usually be adjusted thanks to a programable thermostat!

Heat Setting: Monitoring your Consumption and Adjusting the Thermostat

Installing a Smart Oil Gauge is one of the best things that you can do to monitor your heating oil consumption and usage. The Smart Oil Gauge will show you daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly consumption and usage data. By keeping an eye on this information in an old home, you’ll be able to determine where you can improve your home’s heating capabilities. You can use the Smart Oil Gauge in conjunction with a programable thermostat to adjust your home temperature remotely! This will ultimately help lower your overall oil consumption.

With homes that have radiators and boilers, it will take a much longer time to reheat the home. What our Smart Oil Gauge data shows us is that leaving the temperature the same for the entire day will keep the usage of your oil fairly low. Especially if you have insulation in your home, this will make you burn less oil throughout the day because your insulation is not only keeping your house warm, but the temperature isn’t changing much at all either.

One of the best things that the Smart Oil Gauge offers is being able to analyze your savings between a new and an old furnace. You can download your data by logging onto the website and exporting it to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You can do this however often you’d like, but if you do it between the usage of a new and old furnace system, you can compare the data side by side.

Determining your K-Factor

The K-Factor is basically how long your heating oil will last you in your heating oil system. To fully understand the math problem, there is another important factor to know. Degree days is a figure that is normally used to determine how much heat is needed to heat a home on a specific day. If we use a baseline of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and subtract the average outdoor temperature from 65, then we’ll get our total degree days.

For example, if the average temperature outside is 25 degrees Fahrenheit, then we’ll have to do the following equation 65 – 25 = 40-degree days. In Connecticut, we usually see an average of around 5,900 degree days over a full year.

Comparing Usage with an Old and New Furnace

With the use of exported data from a Smart Oil Gauge, you can determine your K-Factor from your old furnace by taking the average amount of oil burned throughout the year. This can depend on where you live to determine your degree days, but it can change depending on where you are in the United States.

With a new furnace, however, your K-Factor will likely increase. This means that you will end up using less oil per year when you would be ultimately using more on your old furnace. This could save you hundreds of dollars yearly and can be helpful to ensure that you are getting the best price for your heating oil!

The Smart Oil Gauge will record your heating oil usage by the hour. In the above photos, we compared a new furnace system to an older system and side by side, you can see a huge difference!

Conclusion: Older Homes and Heating Oil

The first question that you should probably ask yourself is where can you save the most money on heating oil? A new furnace would be the best way to go about saving money. But, it will normally cost you a couple of thousand dollars to be able to get one installed, and it might not even be right away. Due to this, there are a lot of DIY methods to prevent high oil consumption. You can get various things for your home such as plastic wrapping your drafty windows and getting draft stoppers for your doors!

You can also get a proper handle on your oil usage/consumption by installing a Smart Oil Gauge. This will be able to show you exactly how much heating oil you are burning and will help you optimize how much oil you can save. Getting a programmable thermostat on top of the Smart Oil Gauge will help you optimize your consumption and start saving a lot more oil!

After you’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure your home’s heat doesn’t escape, be sure to check out our FuelSnap page! FuelSnap will help you find local dealers in your area with the best prices available to you!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How to Install your Smart Oil Gauge

July 29, 2024April 17, 2024

While it might seem self-explanatory, ensuring that your Smart Oil Gauge is installed correctly is crucial. The installation process is a little bit different depending on your tank’s orientation, especially between Granby and Roth tanks. In this blog post, I’ll be covering the process of installation for your Smart Oil Gauge!

What You’ll Need

When it comes to installing the Smart Oil Gauge, you don’t need much. All you will need is a simple pipe wrench, pipe dope, and (if necessary) an adapter. We go over the specific types of adapters in this article here. Please note that the Smart Oil Gauge Duo cannot use standard adapters and will need specific adapters for the Duo. You can get all of the necessary items that you’ll need for installation on Amazon, Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Installation on a Steel Tank

Installing the gauge on a steel tank is very easy. But, it’s very important to know that you MUST install the gauge onto a 2″ NPT fitting. If your fitting is smaller than that you will need an adapter. We have adapters for 1.25″ and 1.5″ NPT fittings that are for steel tanks. If you have a fitting that’s bigger than 2″ NPT, then you’ll need to find a smaller one for the installation. Or in the worst-case scenario, you won’t be able to install the gauge on your tank.

The first thing that you’re going to want to do is make sure that you have all your necessary material. This would include the Smart Oil Gauge, a pipe wrench and pipe dope. Once you have everything, simply apply a thin layer of pipe dope onto the bottom threads of the gauge. Then, you’ll want to hand-tighten it down as far as it can go. Once you hand-tighten it down all the way, finish it off with a pipe wrench. We have a video tutorial for this process right here.

If you’re using an adapter , then it’s important to know that you DON’T need to apply pipe dope on the bottom threads of the gauge. If you do, your gauge will either read inaccurately for full. Only apply pipe dope to the very bottom of the adapter where it threads into the tank.

Installation on a Roth Tank

There is one big difference between installing a steel oil tank compared to a Roth oil tank. When you install the gauge on a Roth tank, you must install it with a Roth adapter. If you have the Duo, you will need the Duo Roth Adapter. It’s a requirement to use the Roth adapter because, without it the gauge will always read as full. This is because the signal won’t be sent out properly and will bounce off the sides of the fitting.

This is the install process for the Standard Smart Oil Gauge’s Roth adapter installation.

Installation on a Roth tank is very easy. All you need is the gauge and the adapter. You DO NOT need a pipe wrench or pipe dope for this installation. All you have to do is simply screw the Smart Oil Gauge into the adapter, unscrew the black fitting cap on the tank, and place the Smart Oil Gauge on the tank fitting here it will then be able to read to contents of the tank. You can view our video tutorial for this installation on our YouTube Channel.

These are the instructions for the Roth Duo adapters. Pretty similar to the standard Roth adapter instructions, but with a few more bells and whistles.

Installation on a Non-Traditional Tank

Now, installation on non-traditional tanks can be a little tricky. These tanks normally are long cylindrical, cube, or rectangular tanks. But while some tanks that are not in the traditional style can have the gauges installed pretty easily, it’s important to know that others can’t. These tanks must have a 2″ NPT fitting so that you can install the gauge. Some of these tanks either do or don’t have a fitting of that size. But some do, and if you do have one of these style of tanks, it’s important to see what size your fittings are.

If you have a tank fitting that is more than 2″, then you will likely not be able to install the Smart Oil Gauge onto your tank. The reason for that being is that any adapter that the gauge would need to work properly MUST come from us. The reason for that is that the adapters that we make are specifically designed for the Smart Oil Gauge. These adapters take into the sensor’s cone-like signal that will allow the gauge to take a proper reading. Other adapters, do not take that into account.

It’s also important to know that with these non-traditional tanks, that you CANNOT install the gauge onto a raised fitting, t-pipe, or extension pipe. The reason for this is because with these types of installation, the gauge can’t send out the signal properly. The gauge will always read as full because the signal isn’t being sent out properly. If you install the gauge like this, you will need to move it to a different fitting.

Set Up Your Gauge Before Installing onto the Tank

Before you go ahead and install the gauge onto the tank, make sure that you set up the Smart Oil Gauge. While this is not mandatory, it definitely makes the process of installation go by a lot easier. By setting up the gauge, off of the tank before it’s installed, you don’t have to worry about awkwardly standing over the tank while you try to get the gauge configured.

If you wish to install the gauge before setting it up, then that’s completely fine. However, please be aware that you will have to set it up at the tank location. This can be especially annoying if you hired someone to install the gauge and they didn’t even set it up!

Conclusion

Depending on what type of tank you have, you might have a different way to install the gauge onto the tank. Which is completely fine! So long as you follow the steps and process in each of our video tutorials and those in the article, you’ll be able to get the gauge installed without issue!

When installing, just make sure that you have all of the necessary tools that you’ll need for the process! Also, make sure that your gauge has been properly set up and configured to your account so that you can start getting accurate readings once the gauge is installed onto the tank!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How Long Will a Tank of Heating Oil Last?

July 15, 2024April 17, 2024

It’s currently July 2024, which means that we’re starting to wind down on heating oil usage. Even if you aren’t burning oil, it’s still a good idea to plan for when you need to order oil. It’s also important to know how long a filled tank will last you, even in the summer. Especially if you use heating oil for hot water, in which you’ll always be thinking about heating oil! In this blog post, I’ll be covering how long a full tank of oil will last you!

Tank Size

The most common and obvious factor when it comes to how long a full tank will last you is based on your tank size. Typically, the most common tank size used today is 275-gallon tanks. Despite having a tank capacity of 275 gallons, these takes will usually have a maximum capacity of 250-260 gallons. This is because oil dealers will normally leave the top couple of inches free for airflow. Oil dealers will do this to prevent overflow and risk of leaks. Aside from 275-gallon tanks, 330-gallon tanks are the next most common size.

While not uncommon, sometimes homeowners will have a ‘twin tank’ system. This is when two tanks (usually of the same size) are linked together. This effectively doubles the capacity for how much oil you can store and burn before needing to get more. These tanks will usually have a crossover pipe on the bottom of the two tanks that connect the two which will allow for equalization.

If you have an underground tank, you’ll usually have about 500 gallons as your capacity. However, sometimes, they can get as big as 1000 gallons or even 2000 gallons! These tank setups are pretty rare because they are normally removed after 30 years or so when these tanks tend to start eroding. If you are deciding to remove your underground tank, we cover everything you need to know about that here.

The most common tank sizes will typically look like this. They will have an ovular shape to them and will either be laying on their sides or on the bottom.

House Size Will Affect Usage

After you’ve gotten your tank size, you’ll want to know how much oil your home will require daily. This will then help us determine how long a full tank of heating oil will last you. The following factors will be your biggest impactors on how much heating oil you burn daily:

House Size: With a home that’s 1500 square feet, you might see yourself burning around 500 gallons yearly. However, a 3500-square-foot home will probably use well over 1500 gallons per year.
Energy Efficiency in your Home: Usually a 2500 square foot home that’s well insulated will only use an average of 600 gallons of oil per year. However, a house of the same size that is poorly insulated can use upwards of 1200 gallons per year! Ensuring that you have a well-insulated home is important to keep your home warm and your usage low!
Heating System Age: If your heating oil system is well maintained, then it will last longer than most other heating oil systems! Well-maintained systems can last for 30 years or longer! While this does sound great, technology will continue to improve as the years go on to make these systems more efficient. For example, upgrading to a new oil-fired heating system can ultimately reduce your heating costs by up to 30%.
Interior and Exterior Temperature: Turning down the temperature of your thermostat will reduce the amount of heating oil that you’re burning. But, that isn’t the only contributing factor when it comes to burning oil. The exterior temperature plays a huge role in burning oil. The temperature outside will ultimately determine how much oil you’re burning. On a 10-degree day, you might end up using anywhere from 8-12 gallons! But on a day that’s 30 degrees, you’ll probably only use about 5-7 gallons of heating oil.

Daily Heating Oil Usage

After finding out your tank size, you can use the below chart to determine how much heating oil you’ll use daily. Using this, you can estimate how long a tank of heating oil is going to last you.

But, keep in mind that you don’t want to wait until your tank is empty! Always be sure to order heating oil when your tank is below 1/4! Or as we say it, “Order at a Quarter”!

On average, a home that’s 2500 square feet will use around 4-6 gallons daily on a 30 degree winter day.

How Long Until You Need to Order Oil?

The point at which you’ll need to reorder oil will depend on the size of your tank and your consumption. Just like with your car, it’s important to not let your tank run empty. This will cause damage to your heating oil system and which will cause your burner to shut down. This can also cause sludge to get sucked into the feedlines which will clog your system.

As mentioned previously, you should order oil when your tank is 1/4 full.

Looking at this chart gives you a good way to gauge when you should order heating out! But be aware this will only give you an estimation of how much oil is actually in your tank. So, it’s important to not let the level get low enough to risk a runout.

On a tank that’s 275 gallons, the 1/4 mark is roughly 68 gallons. Because a 275-gallon tank can only hold a maximum capacity of 250-260 gallons when it’s full, this will usually mean that you’ll have 182 gallons of oil to burn through before you should order more. You can use the above table to determine your average heating oil usage. By doing a little bit of math, you can get the total number of usable gallons. For example:

Size of Home: 2500 Square Feet
Average Temperature Since Previous Fill Up: 30 Degrees Fahrenheit
Average Daily Usage (30 Degrees Outside): 5.2 Gallons Per Day
Tank Capacity: 275 Gallons (True Capacity 250 Gallons)
Point of Reorder: 1/4 Tank or 68 Gallons
Gallons Before Next Reorder: 250-68 = 182 gallons
Days Between Fills: 182/5.2 gallons/day = 35 Days

When the outdoor temperature is around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, a 275-gallon tank that’s heating a 2500-square-foot home, will last around 35 days between fills!

When Should You Check Your Healing Oil Tank to Order Oil?

It’s important to check your oil intake often so that you don’t wake up to a cold house in the middle of the night during the winter (trust me it’s not fun). If you did run out of heating oil, then it is best to take a look at this article here for steps on what to do.

Usually with an old-fashioned float gauge, we recommend checking the tank at least once a week or at the very least, every two weeks. You can periodically set a reminder on your phone to alert you when it’s time to go down to check the tank every so often.

However, if you have a Smart Oil Gauge, then you can check your tank whenever and wherever! With the use of the Smart Oil Gauge, you can monitor your tank level and usage just by having the app installed! The app keeps track of usage data and your oil level so you’ll have everything you need in the palm of your hand!

But, if you’re still new to heating oil and are curious about how much heating oil you might be burning, take a look at the below chart to gauge your expected use for the winter!

The above chart shows how many gallons you should expect to use in a CT home. But be aware that the outside temperature and your home’s energy efficiency will change your results to either side of the graph during the winter season.

Conclusion

When your tank reaches 1/4 or below, it’s time to order oil. To check for the lowest prices available, check our FuelSnap website! This will give you the ability to shop around using local dealers in your area and get the lowest price possible for you! You’re able to choose exactly how many gallons you want and decide between local dealers! But be sure to check your tank frequently so you know when it’s time to order!

The amount of oil that you burn will depend on your home size as well as how well-insulated your home is. If your home is very well insulated then you will see yourself burning less oil in the long term. Meanwhile, if your home is not well insulated you will end up burning more oil in the long term.

Tank size is another important factor as it will also determine how much oil you will need to burn before you need to get a fill-up. If you have a 275-gallon tank, you’ll often have to burn through 182 gallons before it’s time for a fill-up.

Happy Heating!

Hunter

Budgeting with Heating Oil

July 1, 2024April 17, 2024

Summer is here! But with the warm and sunny weather, I bet heating oil is the last thing on your mind. However, just because we’re out of the heating oil season doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t start preparing for next season! With that comes a budgeting plan!

Prices for heating oil have been fluctuating a lot. During the winter, prices can get as low as $3.30 a gallon in CT and $3.40 a gallon in NY. Even if prices have been going down, it’s not a bad idea to start budgeting.

While this is a bit larger in scale, it still shows that while heating oil is starting to go down in price, it spiked in price in early 2022 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But, it has been on a steady decline since.

How Much Oil Will You Use Annually?

I’ve touched on this topic in particular on several occasions. The short and sweet of it is, it depends on your daily usage. The bigger and older your house is will usually determine how much oil you should be using. If your home isn’t well insulated, then you will naturally burn more oil. Additionally, if your boiler is heating oil-based, expect to use an extra 100 gallons per year.

Will all of that in mind, most average homes will use about 900 gallons of heating oil per year. If you are interested in finding out how much oil you are burning daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, I recommend getting a Smart Oil Gauge to track your usage. The alternative to that is collecting your delivery tickets and calculating an average based on those

In the above chart, you’ll see what the average home in CT will burn based on their home’s square footage.

How Much Should You Budget on Heating Oil?

Over the past couple of years, heating oil prices have seen a lot of fluctuation. Between COVID-19 bringing it down to incredibly low prices and Russia invading Ukraine in 2022, oil prices have not been consistent. But with that being said, heating oil prices per gallon rarely get above $4. For $2.50 per gallon, the average home will be able to spend $2,250 a year. With a price like this, it’s wise to save around $450 a month for heating oil.

As we leave the cold early months behind, we must prepare for 2024’s heating season. If the prices for heating oil continue to go down, then putting money aside for heating oil is a smart decision! This will give you the ability to save the remainder of that money on anything else that you might need such as groceries and gasoline. If the prices continue to go down, then the total annual cost of heating will decrease! However, if the prices decide to go back up, then this can be problematic as it will effectively cost more to heat with heating oil.

During the winter months, instead of budgeting around $450, expect to budget $950 a month due to increased usage.

Another example of how much heating oil prices have changed over the past year.

Start Saving Now to be Prepared for Winter

One of the best ways to be on top of heating oil budgeting is to start saving now! Heating oil prices have been fluctuating for some time and saving now will help you in the long run. Some heating oil companies might offer a “Budget Plan” to help you save. But in reality, you can do this yourself by putting a little bit of money aside each pay day to put into an “oil fund”.

You can start by estimating how much you spend a year based on your previous deliveries. You can do this by checking previous bank statements or delivery slips. Add them all up and divide that number by 10-12 and you’ll come up with a total amount that you need to save every month.

It’s never too late to start saving money and budgeting. While we won’t know what the price of heating oil is come winter, it’s better to be prepared when the time comes so that you’ll have some money set aside. If you start saving now and prices continue to go down, then you’ll be way ahead of the game once the cold weather hits.

Happy Heating,

Hunter