New To Heating Oil Use? Helpful Tips To Get You Started

If you've recently purchased a home that utilizes heating oil, and you're not familiar with the setup, take the time to familiarize yourself with your system. Here are two steps that will help you adjust to your new heating oil system. 

Have Your Storage Tank Inspected

If you'll be continuing with the same tank that came with the house, you'll need to know as much about it as possible. If the previous owner didn't provide you with documentation, you should begin with an inspection. Your heating oil storage tank inspection should include the following items:

Condition

When it comes to using a storage tank for your heating oil, you need to know the basic condition. The first thing your inspection should include is the condition of the tank. Most importantly, you want to ensure that the tank is free from any defects that might lead to accidents and injuries. If defects are found, those should be addressed before you have the tank filled. 

Capacity

When you fill your storage tank, you want to make sure that you're going to have enough heating oil to make it through the winter. Unfortunately, that's difficult to determine if you don't know how much heating oil your current tank holds. During the inspection, determine the capacity for your storage tank. 

Clearance

Finally, when your fuel delivery service comes to fill your tank, they'll need to have access to the area. Unfortunately, problems with clearance can make that difficult for your delivery driver. Before you sign off on the inspection, make sure that your tank has adequate clearance. 

Consider the Contract Options

Once you've had your storage tank inspection completed, you'll need to arrange for the delivery of your heating oil. If you've never signed up for heating oil delivery, you may not understand the process. There are three basic contract options for your heating oil. You can work with your delivery service to determine the type of contract option that will work best for you. 

Pre-Buy

Pre-buying your heating oil allows you to pay for your heating oil upfront. This option is best if you know how much oil you go through each year, and the prices have remained constant for a while. 

Price Cap

Price cap ensures that you'll never pay over a pre-arranged price for your heating oil. This option works best when heating oil prices are fluctuating. 

Pay-As-You-Go

Pay-as-you-go allows you to pay for the heating oil you need, as you need it. This option is best when you're just starting out and you don't know how much heating oil you'll actually need each year. 

If you're not familiar with heating oil systems, use the information provided here to help you get started. For questions and concerns about your heating oil, be sure to talk to a heating oil provider in your area.

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