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Author: Hunter Geist

Heating Oil vs Heat Pump: Which is Better?

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If you’ve ever been to a friend or family members house, you might’ve seen what’s known as a heat pump. It is essentially an external form of heating and cooling that takes air from the outdoors, and converts it to either warm or cold air depending on the season. However, is it better than heating oil? Let’s find out!

What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a heating unit that is located outdoors. It doesn’t use fuel to produce heat. Instead, it extracts heat from the outside air and pushes it into your home. Think of it like air conditioning, but the exact opposite.

However, during the spring and summer months, you can change it into it’s cooling mode. In this cooling mode, it extracts cold air from outside and pushes it into your home to keep you nice and cool.

Similar to oil tanks, there are different designs and styles for heat pumps. The two most common being the Air-Source and Ground-Source heat pumps. Ground-Source heat pumps are more expensive and extract heat from the outside ground. The heat pump then pumps hot or cold air into your home. When comparing them to the Air-Source heat pumps, they are generally more efficient.

This is an example of what an Air-Source heat pump looks like. The fan that sucks in the outside air is located on the top. It is then brought into the house where it will be converted into heat or cold air.

Heat Pump Benefits

So long as the outside temperature remains above freezing, heat pumps tend to be very energy-efficient. They produce a natural form of heat and cooling that will ultimately result in a lower energy bill. Additionally, they don’t require you to burn fuel!

They are very versatile and they see usage for both heating and cooling. Air quality will not be an issue either, so long as your neighborhood has decent air quality! You also won’t have to worry about carbon monoxide leaks, because heat pumps don’t contain CO!

What are the downsides of heat pumps?

With the good benefits of heat pumps, there are quite a few downsides. They produce less heat compared to your furnace. They also will not make your home as hot and toasty as you might like. When comparing this to heating oil, your furnace will burn oil significantly hotter than this.

Additionally, heat pumps will often lose efficiency the colder it is outside! With below freezing temperatures, heat pumps will often have to work harder to heat up the house because the air is coming from the outdoors. They are unreliable in environments with erratic weather and freezing cold winters.

What are the Benefits of Heating Oil?

Heating oil produces more heat compared to a heat pump. The heat produced from your furnace using heating oil is often significantly hotter than a heat pumps.

A gallon of heating oil produces 138,500 BTUs (117,725 effective BTUs) per gallon of heating oil. While a heat pump will only produce 60,000 BTUs for your standard 2,500 square foot home. With heating oil, you are effectively producing twice the amount of heat compared to a heat pump.

This is your standard oil tank. It’s constantly filled every so often to ensure that you do not run out of oil and wake up with a cold house!

What are the downsides of Heating Oil?

While heat pumps might be odorless, heating oil unfortunately isn’t. While an oil leak from your tank is rare, they can still happen. If your tank where to have a leak, you will most definitely smell it. Constantly checking your tank is a requirement to ensure that you never have a leak. If your oil tank is leaking, you MUST call an HVAC technician ASAP.

Additionally, oil prices also fluctuate constantly! They are commonly affected my global changes in oil price. Oil prices where at an all time high back in 2022 when Russia invaded the Ukraine. However, when COVID-19 first started, oil prices where as low as they have been in a long time. Prices where as low as $1 per gallon!

If you aren’t careful in keeping track of your oil level, you could run out! Running out can cause serious problems for your home. During the cold winter months, if you run out of oil, your pipes could freeze. This can cause some serious damage to your home! Be sure to have a Smart Oil Gauge installed onto your tank to monitor your oil levels! If you recently ran out of oil, check out this article to know what to do incase this happens again!

Conclusion

While heat pumps are fantastic for both of your heating and cooling needs, they are often unreliable the colder it gets. Additionally, because they produce less heat, your home will not be as warm as it would be with a furnace.

Where you live is very important for purchasing a heat pump or not. If you live in an area with mild winters, a heat pump would be best! With much colder weather up here in the northeast, heat pumps are simply less reliable compared to heating oil.

Heating oil is not only reliable, it also creates more heat compared to a heat pump. It’s not reliant on the outside temperature for it’s functionality and can be used regardless of the outside weather. Ultimately, heating oil should be your primary source of heating in the northeast.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Why you Should Buy a Home with Heating Oil

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In the Northeast, oil-heated homes are very popular. However, natural gas is often more common throughout the rest of the states. The reason heating oil is so popular is because of how cost-effective it is. It’s very easy to come by and also incredibly safe. If you’re curious on what some of the other benefits are, then keep following along! We’ll touch upon everything shortly!

What is Heating Oil?

In the northeast, heating oil is one of the most popular ways to heat your home. You’ll store heating oil somewhere on your property in an oil tank. This oil is then fed into your boiler or furnace where it’s burned and converted into heat! The most common places to find your oil tank are indoors in your basement, or outdoors on the side of your house.

Alternatively, you can also find your heating oil tank located in your garage or underground in your backyard! However, underground tanks are growing less common each day. This is because they have issues with leaking and are often difficult to maintain.

If the home you are considering buying has an underground tank, it is best to uninstall it and replace it with an above ground tank. If you’re unsure on what kind of tank to get, try taking a look at this article!

Like the above tank, a home that uses oil heating will display a tank similar to this one. Most of the time, there will only be one tank. However, you will see two tanks connected to each other on occasion. If your home has an underground tank, it would be best to replace it with an above ground tank!

Oil Deliveries

To keep your heat running, your oil tank must get a fill every so often. We have a more in depth article on this topic. You can find that here! To ensure that you don’t run out of oil, it is best for you to order oil whenever your tank is low. We do not recommend automatic delivery services. We go over the pros and cons of getting your heating oil delivered automatically here.

Long story short, it is much more cost effective to order heating oil when you need it. Automatic delivery services will end up costing you several hundred dollars more a year. This is because dealers will charge a premium price for automatic delivery. Additionally, because of wireless smart gauges such as the Smart Oil Gauge, automatic delivery has become more optional.

Your heating oil must be delivered to your home on occasion. You can choose if you would like to have automatic delivery or buy oil whenever you need it. You can also order oil from our FuelSnap site to get the lowest price possible!

What are the Benefits of Heating Oil?

There are a multitude of benefits to using home heating oil. Here are just a few reasons:

  1. It is Safe to Use: The flash point of heating oil is 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows heating oil to be non-flammable at room temperature! It is extremely safe because of this and isn’t something you should have to worry about having in your home. To even get your heating oil to ignite, you must preheat it first. It will then need to me atomized.
  2. It is Efficient: 138,500 BTUs (a measurement of heat) are produced from a single gallon of heating oil. Because burners are usually around 85% productive, that equals to 117,725 effective BTUs per gallon of oil. However, propane on the opposite end only produces 91,500 BTUs per gallon, and they’re not all effective! Compared to heating oil, you will need to burn 1.35 gallons of propane to match the effectiveness of heating oil! If you are curious, please check out this article to find out all the secrets your propane dealer is keeping from you!
  3. It is Readily Available: Throughout the northeast, thousands of heating oil dealers delivery oil daily! With helpful websites such as FuelSnap, you can compare prices from all of your local dealers. All of these dealers are competing for YOUR business! You have so much flexibility with heating oil that you don’t have with other sources of heating!
  4. It’s Cost Effective: Heating oil is incredibly cost effective. This is because it creates so much heat from a single gallon of oil. Over the past decade, oil prices have dropped significantly. As you being the homeowner, you have complete authority on who you want to order oil from. The oil market is highly competitive, and dealers are constantly trying to out sell each other. Dealers are constantly trying to keep their oil prices as low as possible. This is so you are more incentivized to buy their oil! However, dealers will also try to incentivize you into signing up for automatic delivery. DO NOT use automatic delivery as it will cost you more money in the long run. To keep up to date on oil pricing, take a look on our FuelSnap website.

Conclusion

Should you buy a home with Heating Oil? Short Answer: Yes

Heating Oil is a safe and cost-effective fuel for keeping your house warm. If you are deciding between heating oil or propane, heating oil is the clear answer. If you are given the option for natural gas, then we recommend you use natural gas. Natural gas is both cost effective, and plentiful! You’ll never have to worry about your supply!

However with heating oil, you have complete control of when you order, and which dealers you order from! Using websites like FuelSnap can guarantee the best price by comparing between all of your local dealers. Finally, to ensure you never run out of oil, invest in the Smart Oil Gauge! You’ll be able to keep an eye on your tank’s level wherever you go!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How to Replace your Oil Tank Gauge

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Are you having trouble determining how many gallons of oil are in your tank? If you are, then it might time to replace your oil gauge. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of replacing your tank’s float gauge. However, if this is not something you feel like doing yourself, then feel free to contact an HVAC technician to come out and replace it for you!

What do you need?

If you are capable and know your way around an oil tank, then replacing your gauge will not be too difficult! The following tools are required:

  • Rubber Gloves
  • Wear Old Clothes (Heating Oil smells! So be sure to not ruin your favorite pairs of clothes!)
  • A wrench that is 14″ or bigger – Buy it here!
  • Pipe Dope or Thread Sealant – Buy it here!
  • Penetrating Oil/Liquid Wrench (This is OPTIONAL) – Buy it here!

How does your Float Gauge Work?

Before we start, it’s important to know how the float gauge works. This will help in the removal process, as well as knowing what to expect. Essentially, there is a long thing metal rod that attaches to the “float” (sometimes also an be a cork). The long metal rod is like an arm. The arm has a hinge that moves up and down with the float, depending on the tank’s oil level. On the top of the metal arm, sits the gauge. It is comprised of a little colored disc that’s housed in a plastic vial. The disc will move up and down with the float and give you an estimation as to how many gallons are in your tank.

The bobber sits on top of the oil level and will give you an estimation based on where the bobber sits. However, be careful because sometimes it can get stuck.

How does a Float Gauge Break?

Unfortunately, you might have to replace your gauge more often then you’d like. There are a number of reasons for why they go bad so quickly. The most common reasoning for this is a build up of sludge on the bobber. There’s a photo below that will show you exactly what this looks like. The metal arm that the bobber sits on can also get bent over time. Sometimes if you push down on the disc of the float gauge, this metal hinge can break or bend.

Finally, over time the whole assembly of the gauge can rotate. This can cause the float to become stuck on the side of the tank’s wall. When this happens, the gauge is no longer able to move up or down and the gauge will be stuck. Replacing the gauge entirely is the best solution at that point.

A buildup of sludge as shown in this image is a common cause for a float gauge to go bad. Once the gauge has been covered in sludge like this, it is hard to clean off. Because of sludge buildup, wireless sensing gauges such as the smart oil gauge are recommended.

Step 1: Loosen the Fitting

Before unthreading the float gauge’s assembly, you have to start off by loosening it. First, manually remove the plastic vial with your hands and uncover the disk. Secondly, put the pipe wrench on the gauge’s metal fitting . Then VERY SLIGHTLY loosen the fitting with your hands. DO NOT Loosen this more than half a turn because the float will hit the tank’s interior wall.

Pro Tip: If the fitting isn’t moving, you can soak it in penetrating oil (Liquid Wrench for Example) for several hours or days. After you waiting, you should be able to unscrew it faster.

To access the disc assembly, unscrew the vial by hand. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to proceed onto step 2. You can now use the pipe wrench to loosen the assembly.

Step 2: Pull Up the Disc and Loosen the Fitting Completely

Once you’ve loosened the fitting, you’ll need to use both hands to continue. Ideally, it would be best to have someone help you during this process. However, it is not a requirement and this can be a one person job. Simply just continue to follow the steps below if you are alone.

Pull the disc up as far as it can go. Doing so will lift up the float. This will allow you to rotate the gauge’s assembly. Lifting the assembly out will allow the assembly to rotate and move around, without smashing into the inside wall of the tank.

Pulling up the disc will allow the float to rise up out of the oil. Once you’ve done that, you can continue pulling the gauge out of the tank by unscrewing it from your tank’s fitting.

Step 3: Removing the Float Assembly

Once you’ve loosened the fitting completely, you can remove the float gauge’s assembly. This next step is messy, so be sure you have your garbage bag and paper towels ready!

Allow the float to settle back into the tank by releasing the disc. Slowly pull up the assembly out of the tank and the float will back down into the tank. This will let you take out the assembly from the tank. Immediately place the gauge and assembly into the garbage bag for disposal. Use the paper towels to wipe up any oil that spills out.

Step 4: Install your New Gauge

Whether you are replacing the old float with a new float or a smart oil gauge, we’ll have to go through this process again in reverse. However, we’ll first need to wipe the fitting on the top of the tank clean and apply some pipe dope to the new gauge.

Mark the fitting of the tank to indicate which direction the arm should fall once the assembly is in the tank. Additionally, it is important to make sure that float doesn’t hit the inner wall. To prevent that, you can extend the float into the open area of the tank.

Slowly lower the float into the tank until the two fittings connect. Then, gently lift the disc up to lift the bobber out of the oil. After doing that, you can tighten the assembly as far as it can go.

Continue to slowly lift up the disc, and slowly tighten it until it’s snug. You can stop tightening when the arm is positioned properly in the tank. Once the gauge is securely attached to the tank, you can begin to secure the vial into place and you should be all set!

You should mark the interior of the fitting with a marker to indicate which direction the float gauge’s arm extends. You’ll then need to tighten the gauge in that direction.

The Smart Oil Gauge

If you are unsatisfied with your manual float gauge, then the smart oil gauge is a fantastic replacement! It’s super simple to install and can read your tank’s level wirelessly with it’s ultrasonic sensor. The smart oil gauge will send a signal down to the oil level and then back up to the gauge! Then, based on what type of tank your gauge is configured to, it will tell you the reading of how many gallons are in the tank!

You can even use the smart oil gauge alongside the float gauge if you’d like the best of both worlds! You’ll easily be able to thread it onto an extra fitting on the top of your tank. All you have to is apply a thin layer of pipe dope onto the gauge’s threads and tighten it into the tank with a pipe wrench! If you have the smart oil gauge app downloaded onto your phone, then you’ll be able to check your level and readings from wherever you are! You can check out this video here if you need help installing the smart oil gauge!

Installing a WIFI heating gauge such as the smart oil gauge, is safer and cleaner alternative. It will also be more reliable with determining your oil level.

Conclusion

To read your new float gauge, simply just monitor where the disc rests inside the plastic vial. Doing so will allow you to monitor your oil level. However, be aware that overtime you will have to replace the gauge again.

If you decide to go with a smart oil gauge as your new gauge, then you just have to simply ensure that you configure it under the right tank size. Additionally, make sure that you’ve set up your alerts so that you are notified when you need a fill! That way you can stay on top of your oil level and ensure that you’re not running out on oil anytime soon!

Be sure to check on our FuelSnap website for the most up to date and lowest prices for heating oil in your area! This will make sure that you are getting the best deal on heating oil!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

What To Do If You Run Out of Heating Oil

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If you wake up one morning during the summer with no hot water, or in the middle of the winter season with no heat, you might have run out of heating oil! Don’t freak out, there are plenty of steps you can take to to fix this and you’ll have heat and hot water in now time! In this article, we will go over several steps to ensure that you get your heat and hot water back on as soon as possible!

In this article, we’ll cover the following process if you’ve run out of oil:

  1. Make sure that you’re definitely out of heating oil.
  2. Schedule an Oil Delivery! Call your local dealer, or order from our FuelSnap website!
  3. Put 5 to 10 gallons of diesel fuel into your oil tank. This will hold you over until your delivery arrives
  4. Give your burner a quick restart by pressing the restart button

Make Sure that You are Definitely out of Heating Oil

There are numerous different reasonings for a failure in your home’s heating oil system. Because of this, running out of fuel isn’t always the reason. If you are suspicious that you are out of oil, head down to your tank to check.

A majority of fuel tanks are supplied with a float gauge. This particular gauge uses a bobber that measures the level of oil in your tank. It normally gives a general indication of how much oil is in your tank. Inside the float’s clear top, you should see a colorful disc. Unscrew the gauge’s clear top, and take a look at the disc. Gently press on it to see how it reacts. If the disc slowly returns to normal, you likely have oil in your tank. Alternatively, if the disc doesn’t return to normal, then you are likely out of oil. If you do in fact have oil in your tank, you can skip to step 4.

This is an example of what the float gauge looks like. The little disc indicates what the tank’s estimated oil level is. However, sometimes the float can get bogged down by sludge, resulting in inaccurate readings.

Schedule an Oil Delivery

After you’ve determined that you have no oil in the tank, it is important that you order oil as soon as possible! You can access pricing and local dealers in your area from our FuelSnap website. By typing in your zip code, you’ll be able to see what your local dealers are charging for oil. Additionally, our oil delivery service doesn’t charge any emergency fees! So you can order whenever you are running low and a local dealer will come deliver based upon their availability!

After you’ve placed an order on FuelSnap, you will receive a confirmation email. The confirmation email contains useful information such as the dealer’s number, the order receipt and even the estimated delivery time! If you want an exact date or time, feel free to contact the dealer! They’ll be able to give you an estimated time of when they will come deliver!

Add 5 to 10 Gallons of Diesel into your Tank

When you run out of oil, you can always head to the gas station and pick up some diesel. This is because diesel and heating oil are nearly identical (despite some dye being added to heating oil). Although it should only be used temporarily, your heating oil system will be able to burn diesel fuel just fine!

Start off by buying a yellow jug from your local gas station. Fill up the jug with about 5 to 10 gallons of diesel fuel. This should get you through the night and keep you warm. If you need to go back to the gas station the next day to get more, then that’s perfectly fine! We recommend getting around 10 gallons just to be on the safe side!

Remember, diesel fuel can be used in an emergency situation. However, as a long term solution to heating oil it is ineffective.

Give Your Burner a Quick Restart

Finally, it is best to check your oil burner. The reason for this is because the issue might not be in your tank but in your burner. If you have oil in your tank and you wake up to a cold house, you likely have a problem with your heating system. Sometimes a faulty starter can cause your burner to turn off, even if you have oil in your tank. Alternatively, you can also have a clog in your feed lines that could be preventing your furnace from taking oil from your tank.

If you had to put diesel fuel into your tank, then it is best to restart your burner ASAP. This is because your furnace was deprived of fuel oil and needs to be reset. In the system shown in the below image, you will see the reset button. Press the burners reset button and after about fifteen seconds or so, you should hear the system kick on. It will either stay on, or turn back off.

If it turns back off, you will need to bleed some air out of the lines (Do not Attempt this if you are not mechanically proficient. It is best to contact an HVAC technician). After bleeding the lines, press the reset button one more time to see if that keeps it going. Don’t press the reset button more than 2 to 3 times. If at this point your system isn’t turning back on, you will need to contact an HVAC technician to examine your burner.

Checking your Burner is very important in ensuring that your furnace is working as intended! Press the reset button if you need to reset it!

Conclusion

Running out of heating oil is not enjoyable by any means. In a best case-scenario you will simply need to order oil and run out to the gas station to grab some diesel. If you go to our FuelSnap website, you can order oil straight from there! We offer fast delivery and the lowest prices in your area guaranteed!

However, you could be a part of the unfortunate few where the issue lies within the burner. The burner could’ve sucked up some sludge which could be causing a clog. Or you could be experiencing an issue with the furnace itself. If this is your situation, contact an HVAC technician as soon as possible!

The best way to prevent this in the future is with the purchase of a Smart Oil Gauge! The smart oil gauge will take an accurate reading of your tank’s level and it will upload that to our servers! You’ll see the current reading of your tank’s oil level and this can be accessed from anywhere. You’ll even receive push notifications, emails and text messages to ensure you know your tanks level! The Smart Oil Gauge app even allows you to order from our FuelSnap website right through the app! With the use of the smart oil gauge, you’ll be able to order oil before you run out!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Heating Oil vs Propane: Which is Better?

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If you’re thinking about upgrading your furnace, you’ve likely heard many different things regarding switching from heating oil to propane. You should be very carful about making this decision. While it sounds like a good idea, it could be very expensive down the line.

In this article, we break down the reasons why companies want you to switch to propane.

Both Delivered Fuels

Both Propane and Heating Oil are considered “Delivered Fuels“. While electricity and natural gases come automatically, oil and propane can only be received by a delivery truck.

It is important to think this through, because you must be able to maintain a consistent supply of either fuel during the winter months. While natural gas and electricity are more naturally persistent, heating oil and propane are not. If you are not careful, you can run out of either fuel.

The two best ways to order oil and propane are on a “Will-Call” or “Automatic Delivery” basis. Will-Call basis orders are more cost-effective while automatic delivery comes on a more premium price. However, there is room for human error when it comes to Will-Call. Try not to forget to order! You’ll run out of oil and wake up to a cold house in the morning! Oil dealers will usually charge an additional 50 cents per gallon for Automatic Delivery. Despite that, some debate that it is worth the peace of mind.

Typically, heating oil deliveries will have a truck like this one deliver your oil.

The Difference between Propane and Heating Oil Storage Tanks

Natural gas is transported through pipelines that are mapped from the streets into your homes. However, for fuel companies they have to deliver oil and propane to homes that request it. Fuel tanks can store oil or propane for months on end to ensure that the homes remain heated.

Heating oil tanks come in three different varieties. They are listed here:

Indoor Tanks: These tanks are always above ground and are the most preferable. They are usually stored in basements, crawl spaces or garages and are never exposed to the outside elements.

Outdoor Tanks: These tanks are usually the second most preferable. Despite being outside, you can easily access and inspect the tank when needed! However, these tanks often will need to be replaced sooner than indoor tanks, due to being exposed to the elements.

Underground Tanks: These tanks are the least preferable. This is because there is no way to access the tank or determine how many gallons of oil are in the tank. The only way to be able to tell how many gallons are in the tank is by stick measuring the tank. Additionally, there is no way to know if your tank is leaking. If your underground tank is leaking, it could be very expensive to replace or fix.

This is the most common tank style. A standard 275 gallon indoor tank will look something like this.
In the 70s and 80s, having an underground heating oil tank was very common. However, the problem with this is that they can leak and rust as time goes on. These types of tanks are becoming less common everyday.

Despite heating oil tanks having more tank options, propane tanks only have two styles:

Outdoor Tanks: The most common style for propane tanks is above ground. They always must be located away from a residence in case of a leak. You will usually see them in someone’s yard. These are usually an eyesore to look at.

Underground Tanks: These types of tanks are rare for propane. However, they are preferred because they are less exposed to the elements.

This is what your typical above ground propane tank usually looks like.

What are the Benefits of Propane Heating?

Propane itself is very versatile. It can fuel stoves, fire places, furnaces and much more! If you have a grill outside on your porch, then you likely use propane when you’re cooking some hamburgers and hotdogs! Propane prices are stable and tend to be cheaper than electric heating.

What are the Downsides of Propane?

The biggest problem with propane is that it offers a lack of flexibility. One important thing to note with propane is normally you are provided a propane tank by your propane dealer. This means that you cannot choose a different distributor to fill your tank. When you are speaking to a sales rep from a propane distributor they seem a little pushy, this is why.

Propane distributors make a large profit when they get you to switch from heating oil to propane. Additionally, when you are using a propane distributor, there are a lot of restrictions. Meaning that if you wanted to switch propane providers, you would need to buy your tank. Yes you heard me right, the propane distributors will require you to buy your tank if you wish to switch. Buying the tank could cost you several thousand dollars.

Another major downside to using propane heating, is that you can’t top off your tank if you run out of propane. This means that if you wanted to get some propane in an emergency situation, you wouldn’t be able to. You will then have to wait until your next scheduled delivery.

This is an example of what your average propane truck looks like.

What are the Benefits of Heating Oil?

Heating oil burns VERY HOT. Due to how hot heating oil burns, you will get significantly more heat per gallon. Typically you will also get more heat out of a gallon of heating oil, compared to a gallon of propane.

A gallon of propane will produce an average of 91,500 BTUs (British Thermal Unit). Most propane tank equipment is only 95% efficient, which will only net you a total of 86,925 effective BTUs.

However, a gallon of heating out will produce 138,500 BTUs. Most heating oil equipment is 85% efficient, a gallon of heating oil will still net you a total of 117,725 effective BTUs.

Compared to heating oil, one gallon of propane will get you around 30% less heat production than one gallon of heating oil.

Additionally, with heating oil as a homeowner, YOU OWN your tank and oil. This allows you to be free and flexible when ordering oil. You’ll get the freedom to order any amount of oil at any given time. You’ll also be able to order from any dealer that you please and are not locked in to any one dealer. Having the ability to put diesel in your tank in the case of an emergency is crucial! You can’t do that with a propane tank! For more information on this subject, check out this article!

This still usually means that prices for heating oil will have a large variety. This is because heating oil has a more competitive market than propane. If you use our website FuelSnap, you will be able to compare prices from local dealers in your area and find the best price for you!

Including external technology such as the Smart Oil Gauge, you’ll be able to keep an eye on your tank’s level! It will be able to monitor your level and usage through the app! It will even send you alerts notifying you when to order!

Keeping track of your oil level is crucial! It can help you prevent running out before you run out!

What are the Downsides of Heating Oil?

Heating Oil smells. It has a very profound odor that is very easy to pick up on. You will likely smell this if your oil tank leaks. An occurrence of this is rare, but it still happens. That being said, inspect your above-ground tank regularly to prevent this from happening.

Additionally, heating oil is more vulnerable to global price changes. Back in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, worldwide oil prices skyrocketed. While oil prices went up substantially, propane prices where unaffected. However, when COVID-19 happened, oil prices where at an all time low. Sometimes the prices where below $1 per gallon, while propane prices remained the same.

Conclusion:

Propane is fantastic for many things such as cooking, fireplaces and generators. However, it is far more expensive when comparing it to heating oil in the long run. Heating oil is far more inexpensive in the long term.

Do not let a pushy salesman tell you what to do with your money. If they insist on you switching over, do not fall so easily. Remember that if you switch over to propane, you will have far less freedom when it comes to heating your home.

Heating oil should be used as your primary source of home heating. Propane should be used to run your fireplace, grill, stove and other home appliances that would require it. Using it for home heating will only drain your pockets more.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How to Fill a Home Heating Oil Tank

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If you live in the northeast and use heating oil, you are probably curious as to how they fill your tank. A majority of heating oil tanks are located indoors, but some are still located outdoors. Some indoor tanks are located in hard to get to places such as a crawl space. Now, you might be wondering how the dealer can fill your tank without stepping foot in your home. For dealers to be able to fill your tank, oil tanks must have both a vent pipe and a fill pipe. They are both normally located on the outside of your home, if you have an indoor tank.

In this article, we will explain the various steps of the tank’s filling process. We will also go in-depth about your tank’s various components!

With an oil tank in the basement, the oil company hooks onto the fill pipe outside the house to make a delivery.

The Heating Oil Tank’s Components

There are a large variety of different types of oil tanks, coming in all shapes and sizes. Most of the time, oil tanks are located inside your home. However, sometimes they are located outside. While some outdoor tanks can even be underground! But, the components in each are all still the same.

Both the fill pipe and the vent pipe extend from the top of the tank. They then go through your exterior wall and position themselves upwards outside. The fill pipe, has an screw able cap that comes off when the tank needs a fill. The vent pipe on the other hand, allows air to escape from the tank during a fill. However, when your tank’s oil level goes down, air enters the tank through the vent as you use oil.

Additionally, oil tanks come with a vent alarm or “whistle”. When it comes to filling your tank, the vent alarm is the most critical component. It is located on the bottom of the vent pipe, and it alerts the dealers when to stop filling. When the tank is getting a fill, the whistle will make a loud noise. It will then become muffled when it’s time to stop pumping. That normally indicates that the tank is full.

Your average oil tank will look something like. Despite the shape and size of your tank, all the components should ultimately be the same.

How Many Gallons of Oil Should You Order?

Before the dealer can deliver the oil into your tank, they’ll need to know how many gallons to fill. Many customers like to know how many gallons of oil they are getting exactly. Usually you’ll see them order anywhere from 100-200 gallons depending on their tank size. However, some customers like to get a fill up for their tank. When filling up, the dealer will pump oil into the tank until they stop hearing the tank’s whistle. They do this to ensure that the tanks are not getting over filled.

You might be wondering how many gallons of heating oil are in your oil tank. You can keep track of your tanks level from anywhere with the Smart Oil Gauge! This keeps track of your oil level and will inform you when you get a fill or when you’re running low!

Connecting the Fill Pipe and the Hose

After the oil company receives your ticket, they’ll know how many gallons of oil will need to be delivered. After that, they’ll need to locate the fill pipe. The fill pipe is usually always located on the outside of your home. When placing your order for oil, be sure to give them specific instructions on where the fill pipe is located.

Once they know the fill pipe’s location, they will pull the hose all the way towards it. If your driveway is small, the driver might park on the street. They’ll then have to take the hose directly to the fill pipe. However, if you have a larger driveway, the driver might pull in to get closer to it. Once the driver is at the fill pipe’s location, they will unscrew the cap and start pumping!

The delivery driver in the above photo is attaching the fuel hose to this home’s fill pipe. The trunk’s pump has a meter that can be set to stop once the customers preset amount has been reached. However, if the driver doesn’t hear the whistle anymore, they will stop pumping.

Pumping Your Tank with Heating Oil

Right after the dealer finds your fill pipe, the driver will start pumping heating oil into your tank. To start the flow of heating oil, the driver must flip a switch on the hose’s nozzle. However, they’ll usually only slightly open the nozzle. This is so that when filling, they can pay attention for the tank’s vent alarm. They do this to ensure that they are not pumping too much into the tank. Doing this will also prevent overflow. If the driver is not careful, the oil tank can overfill very quickly! This is because these oil trucks can pump up to one gallon a second!

Once the driver hears the whistle, they will be able to increase the flow of oil. If the customer orders a specific amount of oil, the dealer will stop filling the tank once they’ve reached that requested amount.

When the customer requests a “fill”, the driver will continue pumping oil into the tank until the whistle sound stops. Once he no longer hears the whistle, we will have to shut the pump off.

Printing Your Order Slip

Whenever the driver is finished with your delivery, he’ll remove the nozzle from the fill pipe and reinstall the cap. The pump is then withdrawn back into the truck where they will prepare your delivery ticket.

The delivery ticket normally includes information such as amount of gallons delivered. While not common, sometimes they will show how many gallons where originally in the tank. There will also be more information such as price per gallon, the date of delivery and more! The information provided varies between dealers.

In-Ground Tanks

These days, in-ground oil tanks are less common than above ground tanks. However, in-ground tanks are still in use in today’s day and age. Unlike above ground tanks, they often don’t have a vent alarm/whistle to inform the driver when the tank is full. To ensure that the driver doesn’t overfill the tank, they will stick measure it before they make the delivery. With the knowledge they get from the stick measurement, they are able to determine how large it is. They will then know how many gallons will be a good amount to deliver.

After the initial measurement, he will pump in a certain amount of oil into the tank. Usually this tends to be around 100 Gallons, and he will then take another measurement. He will then compare the two readings he has from measuring the tank from before, by using a tank chart. Using the tank chart will then help him figure out what size tank he is working with.

However, some drivers will often carry around a vent that’s specifically designed to be inserted into the fill pipe. It functions like a fill pipe that extends down to the top of the in-ground oil tank. The nozzle of the trunk’s hose will be able to thread into this and pump oil through the vented section. At that point, the driver will stop filling the tank.

As you can see, with in-ground tanks, there are usually fill and vent pipes sticking out of the ground. There are two direct distinctions. The Fill normally has a flap/cap that can be taken off and put back on. While the vent pipe has a more rounded cap.

Conclusion

While most heating oil delivery drivers don’t normally see the tank while they are filling it, they rely on various tools provided by the tank. Such as the vent alarm allowing them to know that they are safely filling the tank.

If you want to see your tank getting filled first hand, next time heating oil is being delivered, see if you are able to observe the driver fill the tank. Most drivers are typically very friendly and are willing to go over the process with you!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Can I Substitute Diesel for Heating Oil?

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With the rising prices of heating oil, you might be wondering if you can use diesel instead. While not recommended for long-term use, you can use diesel as a temporary solution to running out of heating oil. In this article, we go over when you should and shouldn’t put diesel in your oil tank.

Stopping at your local gas station to grab diesel fuel when you’re running low is a great way to keep your home warm! Just make sure that you order heating oil as soon as possible!

When should I put Diesel into my oil heating tank?

If you’ve recently run out of heating oil, then putting in some diesel isn’t the end of the world. However, you should only use diesel in an emergency situation. Stopping at a local gas station and getting five gallons of diesel is perfectly fine! But before you run to the gas station, it is important to know if you are actually out of oil.

If you suspect that you are out of oil, look at the steps below to check your tank:

  1. Check your tank’s float gauge to see what it reads. Take off the plastic cover and gently move the disc up. If it slides to the bottom and can be moved freely, you might’ve run out of heating oil. (If you aren’t out of heating oil, you can skip to step 4).
  2. Head to your local gas station and buy 5 to 10 gallons of diesel fuel.
  3. Locate your oil tank’s fill pipe. Remove the cap and start pouring it into your tank. The fill pipe cap often states “Fuel Oil” and has the shape of a hexagon on it. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FILL YOUR TANK FROM ONE OF THE TANK’S FITTINGS.
  4. Wait around 10 minutes or so, for any sludge or sediment to settle to the bottom of the tank. Then, go ahead and press your burner’s reset button and your system should start back up. If it doesn’t start back up, you’ll have to bleed the lines of your furnace to release any air in your system. We do not recommend this process if you are not mechanically knowledgeable. You can contact an HVAC technician to go through this process with you.

When you’re running low on heating oil.

If you’ve run out of heating oil, your heating system will shut off and you will wake up to a cold house. In a situation like this, it is best to check to see if you’ve run out of oil. You can check by inspecting your tank. This is important, because sometimes it could be a completely different issue! Other issues such as a faulty starter can cause your furnace to turn off, even if you have oil in your tank!

If you are out of oil, then it is very important to order some as soon as possible! After you’ve placed your order , go to the gas station and pick up 5-10 gallons of diesel. This well help you stay warm until your delivery of oil comes. It will also help prevent your pipes from freezing which can cause significant damage!

If you’ve run out of oil, be sure to order as soon as possible! Running out of oil can damage your furnace system and cause problems in the future.

Diesel is a Great Temporary Substitute

If you are low on oil and are afraid of running out, order immediately! You can take a look online at our FuelSnap website! You can check prices and delivery dates here. After you’ve ordered heating oil, go grab some diesel from the gas station! This will hold you over until you get a delivery.

Be careful about letting your oil run low. Running out of oil can result in frozen pipes or worse! You can add diesel every day or so until you get your delivery. You can monitor how much oil is in your tank, as well as usage with a Smart Oil Gauge! The Smart Oil Gauge will help you monitor your usage and oil level in your tank and you can access it from anywhere! If you’re curious on how many gallons your home will need on a cold winter day, check out this article!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

10 Ways to Save on Heating Oil

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save money on heating oil

During the winter up here in the northeast, you will often find that heating oil can get quite expensive. You’ll likely have to refuel on heating oil every month or so to maintain the heat in your house. Now you might be asking yourself, “How can I save money on heating oil?”. Well, we’ve compiled a list of all the best ways to save on heating oil!

Heating oil delivery trucks can often be spotted during the winter throughout the northeast.
  1. Cancel your Automatic Delivery:
    While it might seem a little bit odd, you will actually save money by canceling your automatic delivery! The reason being is that oil dealers will sometimes charge more money for automatic delivery. This is because dealers will charge an average of 50 cents more per gallon when using an automatic delivery service. This could end up costing you several hundred dollars more yearly! Try ordering from our “FuelSnap” website! We guarantee the lowest price possible for local dealers in your area! This can help you save money while ordering oil.
  2. Check for Drafty Doors and Windows:
    Covering up your drafty doors and windows will help you reduce the amount of oil that your boiler is consuming. In covering them up, you will consume less oil. When you cover up any drafty windows or doors, your boiler will not need to produce as much heat. Therefore, your tank will start consuming less oil due to more heat in the house.
  3. Order Oil During the Summer:
    Ordering oil during the summertime is a fantastic way to save on oil cost. During the summer months demand for heating oil is low. This means oil prices are significantly lower than they are during the holiday and winter seasons. Ordering oil during the summer also means that you will be ready and filled up by the time winter rolls around.
  4. Don’t Order Oil During the Holiday Season:
    Similar to an increase in prices for gifts during the holidays, oil prices are up as well. This is the exact opposite to ordering oil in the summer. During the winter, especially during the holidays the demand for oil is much higher than during the summer. Unless you’re very low or completely out, try not to buy oil during the holiday season.
  5. Increase Insulation:
    Increasing insulation is a fantastic way to reduce heating oil consumption. Whether you are adding in more insulation or improving it, you will decrease oil consumption. This will allow your home to retain more heat for a longer period of time. In doing this you will see a decline in usage that will ultimately benefit you in the long run.
  6. Invest in a WIFI Thermostat:
    Investing in a WIFI/wireless thermostat is a great way to control the heat in your house. This will benefit you for when you are out for an extended period of time. Some of these thermostats will often have an app that connects directly to them. You can control the temperature of the house from the moment you leave to when you come back. Doing so will allow you to monitor and adjust the temperatures in the house remotely!
  7. Upgrade your Heating System:
    Over time your oil heating system will become less efficient and you will need to upgrade. By upgrading your oil heating system, you will often see a stable usage of oil that will decrease the amount you’re burning.
  8. Turn down your Thermostat when you’re not home:
    Even if you do not have a WIFI thermostat, turning down your thermostat when you aren’t home can help keep the house temperatures lower so that you do not burn a lot of oil. Unless you have pets, do not leave the thermostat on while you are not home because you will be wasting oil while nobody is home.
  9. Close off Unoccupied Rooms :
    By turning off the heat in rooms that are unoccupied, you will significantly reduce oil consumption. Close any vents located in rooms that are not in use. This will reduce the amount of oil that the burner has to burn to heat your home.
  10. Purchase and Install a Smart Oil Gauge:
    You probably saw this one coming, but the Smart Oil Gauge is the perfect too to stay on top of your oil usage and level! It will give you daily, weekly, monthly and yearly usage information so that you can stay on top of your oil usage! You’ll also be able to access it from anywhere. Being able to monitor your oil tank from anywhere is a fantastic tool to have at the palm of your hands!
Home heating oil tanks typically come with an old-fashioned float gauge like the one shown here.
Install a Smart Oil Gauge to track your tank remotely from your smart phone.

If you follow these ten ways to save on heating oil, then you will find that you will be saving both on cost and consumption of oil. Following these method will not only help you burn less oil, it will also help you in future by using these different ways to conserve oil moving forward!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How Long Will Five Gallons of Heating Oil Last?

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diesel can

During the colder months, you’ll know how important heating oil is. It has a variety of different uses. But, the most common use is for heating your home. You will need to purchase heating oil. But this begs the question, “How long will 5 gallons of heating oil last me?”

If you are running low on oil, stopping at your nearby gas station and buying a few gallons of diesel is a good temporary alternative until you get your delivery. However, this should be done sparingly because diesel is not a permenant solution.

There are a lot of different variables that can determine the answer to that question. During the winter months, 5 gallons of heating oil might not even last you a day. While during the summer, 5 gallons of oil, could last you a few days. It’s still important to ask yourself the following questions to ensure that you do not run out of heating oil.

            What do you use heating oil for?

            What size house do you have?

            Does your home have proper insulation?

            Do you have any drafty areas of the house?

            How warm do you like to keep your house?

            What is the weather and temperature like outside?

            What’s the condition of your boiler?

Home heating oil is delivered directly to a fill pipe on the side of a home.

Increasing Insulation

Insolation is a key factor in oil consumption. Insolation retains heat and keeps your house warm. Ensuring that your house has proper insolation, will help you get the most out of the heating oil you’ve purchased. With the correct amount of insolation, you’ll be able to maintain the heat that your boiler is producing for longer, reducing oil consumption.

Seal Up Drafty Windows to Reduce Oil Consumption

It might sound odd, but the types of windows that you have can affect your oil consumption. When your boiler burns oil, heat will spread throughout your house. As the heat spreads throughout the house, it will escape through the drafty windows. As a result, you will start to burn more oil. This can lead to higher-than-normal oil consumption which will quickly deplete the oil in your tank. However, if you have newer double-paned windows, the air becomes trapped between the two panes of glass. This is similar to insulation and will prevent the heat from escaping.

While that is a great solution, it isn’t cheap to replace windows. Using a thin plastic sheet, is a great way to seal up drafty windows. Apply the sheets to the window with double sided tame to make sure that they’re tight and secured. After the sheets are in place, go over it with a hairdryer to clean up any wrinkles. This will allow for another layer of insulation.

Heating oil consumption depends on outside temperature. A 2500 square foot home will use approximately 4-7 gallons per day on a typical winter day in New England.

Heating Your Home With Heating Oil

During the colder months of the year, where heating oil is most sought after, you will often be burning more oil than you would during the warmer months. This is because, as you are heating your house, the cold air outside is continuously drawing the heat outside through your walls. When this happens, your boiler will work harder to keep the house warm. This often results in an increased consumption of oil.

When heating up your home, your daily consumption will change depending on both the size of your home, as well as the outside temperature. During a warmer day during winter, you might at most use only around 2 gallons. While during the summer months, you might be even using less than half a gallon a day!

How Does Outside Temperature Affect My Heating Oil Usage?

In the state of Connecticut, the outside temperature can average anywhere from 30-35 degrees Fahrenheit. For the average sized home of 2000 square feet, the average consumption of oil is anywhere from 5-6 gallons of heating oil daily. Outside temperature is a huge contributor for increased oil consumption. It greatly impacts how much oil you are burning on a daily basis.

The typical house in CT will use about 880 gallons of heating oil per year.

Your graph will look different if you have an alternative form of heating. If you do, it is possible that you will be burning less oil and have a lower than the average home. But that begs the question, “How much oil am I burning in a year?”. Similar to the graph above, we have created a graph of estimated gallons burned per year in the state of Connecticut.

Program Your Thermostat to Reduce Oil Consumption

During the winter months, you’ve most likely heard your parents tell you, “Don’t touch the thermostat!”. The average home can get away with setting their thermostat to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This should be a decent temperature to remain comfortable in your home without needing to adjust the temperature of your thermostat.

You may be asking yourselves “Should I leave the heat on while I am not home?”. This could greatly effect the amount of oil you’re burning if you decide to do so. If you have a boiler with radiators in your house, then it can take some time for the temperature in the house to raise several degrees. By doing so, you might actually burn more oil at the end of the day, if you decide to keep your heat on when you aren’t home. However, your home might a have a furnace with air ducts scattered around the house. That is an example of “Forced Hot Air”. If you have any pets at home, you will likely want to keep the heat on, to keep them warm.

If you own a Smart Oil Gauge, you will be able to keep an eye on your hourly oil usage while you are not home. It is a fantastic tool that will help notify you if your usage is too high. This applies the same if you are home and just want to monitor your usage to see if you’re burning an excess amount of oil.

Maintaining a constant supply of heating oil means staying warm on cold winter days.

Is Your Boiler, Burner or Furnace Running in Top Shape?

A well insulated home won’t do you any good if your furnace isn’t running properly. It is very important that you have your system checked and adjusted to ensure that it is running as efficiently as it can. An average oil burner will last around 30 years, sometimes even more. As the years go by and the systems get older, you might end up using more oil than the previous year if not properly maintained. Even buying a new heating oil system can help decrease the amount of oil you are burning. However, we recommend getting your .


Every bit of information we have provided should provide you with a good idea of how long 5 gallons of heating oil will last you. But, the best way to see how long it will last you is to accurately measure it! The best way to do that is with the Smart Oil Gauge! The Smart Oil Gauge will send soundwaves down to the oil level that then bounce off of the oil’s surface and back up to the sensor! This ensures precise accuracy on what your oil level is sitting at, at the current moment! You’ll even be able to check oil consumption by day, week, month and year! In the photo below, you can see what the average usage will look like during the winter and during the summer!

A Smart Oil Gauge will allow you to closely monitor your heating oil consumption throughout the day.

The Smart Oil Gauge will be a worthwhile investment to keep track of how much oil you have and to ensure that you are getting the most out of your heating oil! It will also help to make sure that you will not run out of oil or get low on oil so that you won’t run out of oil! The gauge will also help you see the changes you’ve made using the tips described in this article.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

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