General Inquiries

1. Do I have to order a minimum number of gallons?

2. Do I have to call for a delivery?

3. Do you offer budget plans?

4. What forms of payment do you accept?

5. What is your current price for fuel?

6. Do you deliver to my area?

7. What is meant by Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?

8. Why should I use kerosene in the winter months as opposed to fuel oil?

9. When should I have my heating system tuned-up?

10. I have a seasonal home in the Adirondacks, is there anything that I can do to make sure my house is safe through the winter months?

Heating Specific

1. How long should my heating system last?

2. Why should I have my heating system tuned up each year?

3. My system runs on propane, so there's no need to do an annual tune-up, right?

4. I have a warm-air heating system; can I add air-conditioning to it?

5. I have hot water heat; does this mean I cannot install air-conditioning?

Cooling Specific

1. How long should my air conditioning system last?

2. My electric bills are high. Will a new air-conditioner lower them?

3. What is SEER?

4. What is a mini-split system?

5. Is it OK to replace only the condensing unit, and not the air handler in my system?

6. I want a large air conditioner. Are larger systems usually better or more efficient?

Oil Tank Specific

1. How long should my oil storage tank last?

2. What things should I consider if I'm going to install my own tank or have one installed?

3. I have outdoor access to my basement. Do I need an outside fill pipe and vent pipe?

4. How can I tell if my oil tank is prone to leaking?

General Inquiries

1. Do I have to order a minimum number of gallons?
A: Yes, the minimum delivery for will-call customers is 150 gallons.

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2. Do I have to call for a delivery?
A: You do not need to call if you are on automatic delivery. The computer will calculate your deliveries based on historical consumption and current temperatures. If you are a will-call customer you will need to call us. Please check our delivery schedule so you will know what days we service your area.

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3. Do you offer budget plans?
A: Yes, we currently offer 2 budget plans (Fixed-Price and Variable-Price) and a Pre-Pay plan.
Find out more

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4. What forms of payment do you accept?
A: We accept Visa, MasterCard and personal checks for payment. We can also set up your payments so they are automatically charged to your Visa or MasterCard. We also accept cash.

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5. What is your current price for fuel?
A: Fuel prices can fluctuate based on market conditions. Please call our office for the latest prices. To find out more about current market prices, click here.

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6. Do you deliver to my area?
A: Please check here to see if we deliver to your area. If you are still unsure please call the office.

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7. What is meant by Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?A: In general, IAQ refers to the suitability for consumption by humans, of air inside a building. The following are some factors that might constitute poor air quality:

High levels of carbon dioxide (> 1000 ppm)

Harmful airborne bacteria

Airborne compounds resulting from manufacturing processes

Dust particles

Objectionable odors

Aerosols, which are simply airborn particles given off from almost anything that has an odor - food, cleaning supplies, along with the items listed above. If you can smell it, it is because of an aerosol.

To find out more about Indoor Air Quality, click here.

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8. Why should I use kerosene in the winter months as opposed to fuel oil?
A: All fuel oil has paraffin (wax) in it; kerosene does not. Fuel congeals when the temperature drops low enough so that the wax begins to separate out of the oil into tiny specks. These specs begin to stick together, eventually forming a large wax clog. It is our company policy to recommend that all outside tanks use straight kerosene.
An alternative for those who feel strongly that they do not want straight kerosene all year long is to use straight kerosene from November 1 until March 15. It must be clearly understood that doing this does not guarantee against a congealing-fuel loss-of-heat since the paraffin content of the fuel oil will remain in the tank well into the cold weather, though somewhat diluted.

To find out more about kerosene, click here.

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9. When should I have my heating system tuned-up?
A: Annually, at any time of the year. However, we highly recommend a tune-up near the end of the heating season or during the summer months because of the high volume of emergency calls during peak the heating season months (December-February). During these cold months, tune-up appointments may have to be rescheduled to take care of emergency calls. After the beginning of August, time is limited due to calls for pre-heating season equipment repairs and/or replacement.

To find out more about system tune-ups, click here.

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10. I have a seasonal home in the Adirondacks, is there anything that I can do to make sure my house is safe through the winter months?
A: Yes. The Scul-Tel home monitoring system can be installed to keep track of household temperatures and fuel level in your tank. Details on the Scul-Tel system can be found here.

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Heating Specific

1. How long should my heating system last?
Typically, a new heating system will last about 12-15 years, though many can last far longer. Beyond that, efficiency becomes a significant issue as continual progress is made in design, making more economical sense to run a newer unit.

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2. Why should I have my heating system tuned up each year?
Regular maintenance on any mechanical system just makes sense. A tune-up insures that the heat exchanger is clean, allowing ideal transfer of heat into your home, while preventing leakage out of the flue pipe. A tune-up involves a ventilation inspection, a control and relay inspection, and making sure system safety controls are working properly.

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3. My system runs on propane, so there's no need to do an annual tune-up, right?
Not so. Tune-up rules apply on propane systems too. (see question #2)

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4. I have a warm-air heating system; can I add air-conditioning to it?
In most cases you can. Furnaces built in recent years were designed to handle air conditioning, however, the amount of air flow needed for air-conditioning is significantly greater than is needed for heating. As a result, if your furnace was not sized to handle your home's air-conditioning needs, it may not be possible to add properly sized air-conditioning.

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5. I have hot water heat; does this mean I cannot install air-conditioning?
Not necessarily. If there is space available on walls for the outlets, you can usually install a compact split-system (far superior to through-the-wall or window units) that will perform quietly and efficiently.

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Cooling Specific

1. How long should my air conditioning system last?
Typically, an air-conditioning system lasts 10-12 years. Beyond that, efficiency steadily declines. New, more energy-efficient systems can cut your electrical consumption significantly.

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2. My electric bills are high. Will a new air-conditioner lower them?
Absolutely! There have been significant improvements in air-conditioning efficiency recently, and by installing a new high-efficiency system (13 seer or higher), you can reduce your energy consumption from 20-50%.

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3. What is SEER?
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Similar to the miles per gallon reading on your car, SEER determines how much energy (electricity) it takes to provide proper cooling.

You'll see a lot about SEER ratings. Most of us don't need to know much about what they are, but we do need to understand what the numbers mean.

SEER is a government-mandated efficiency standard. All air conditioners are measured by the same standard. The term SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. A higher SEER unit requires less electrical power to satisfy your home's demand for cooling. That saves you money.

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4. What is a mini-split system?
A mini-split system is one that places one or more condensers outside the home connected to attractive blower units mounted on walls inside, near the ceiling. The condensers run quietly, like a conventional central air conditioning system, but don't require the duct system through the whole house to transport the air.

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5. Is it OK to replace only the condensing unit, and not the air handler in my system?
It's possible but there are concerns. Doing so can cause a mismatch that compromises efficiency, or worse, can prevent the system from working properly. Condensing unit and air handler are manufactured as matching units. However, in many cases, it can be done. Our trained professionals can assist you in determining this.

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6. I want a large air conditioner. Are larger systems usually better or more efficient?
Not always. Sizing air-conditioning can be tricky. A unit that's too large will cool the home quickly, but will not run long enough to dehumidify adequately. If the air-handling system (ductwork) isn't large enough, the coil may freeze and leave you without air-conditioning. It's best to get a system that is properly sized.

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Oil Tank Specific

1. How long should my oil storage tank last?
There's no good answer to this question. A high-quality tank properly installed should last a very long time. They are made of steel, so they must be protected from corrosion in some way. Basement and outside tanks can be painted a light color to reduce heat buildup (thereby reducing condensation inside the tank) and seal out moisture from the tank surface.

Buried tanks today must be double-wall, meaning that they are kind of a "tank within a tank". The outside is coated with some heavy material such as tar to seal out moisture and small in-ground electrical currents that cause corrosion. They are then set in clean sand or small, round "pea stone" before the entire setup is buried with dirt.

A well-installed tank with the proper corrosion protection should last a very long time - perhaps 30 years or more. But one thing most homeowners don't realize is that much of the corrosion can come from within. As Oil gets used its space in the tank is replaced by air. That air contains moisture. As temperatures fluctuate, there can be condensation inside the tank.

Our "Tank-Sure" program incorporates an anode inside the tank that protects it from this type of corrosion, while also providing valuable tank condition monitoring so that, as it gets older and starts to develop thin spots, that fact can be detected long before any type of spill occurs. The tank can then be replaced in a planned and convenient manner, and the program will reimburse you for all, or nearly all, of the cost of doing so.

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2. What things should I consider if I'm going to install my own tank or have one installed?
The typical home oil storage tank holds 275 gallons. You can use more than one of these in tandem (but there is a specific way to pipe them), and you can also use a 550 gallon underground tank. Here we'll assume most people are interested in the standard "275 tank".

Whether inside or outside, the tank must be placed on a solid foundation that will prevent it from becoming unstable over time. Wooden structures are not acceptable except that a tank can be placed on single wooden timbers no more than 12" high and laid flat on the ground. In any location, but particularly in a damp basement or outside, be sure to paint the tank to prevent corrosion.

Basement tanks: pipe the tank to the exterior of the home with a fill pipe and a vent pipe of steel or iron pipe, at least 1 ¼" in diameter. Use a ventalarm on the vent pipe to provide the driver (who will be outside) with a means of knowing when the tank is full before it can "blow back" and cause an unsightly mess on the side of your home or contaminate the ground. The vent pipe must be adjacent to the fill pipe so the alarm can be heard while it is being filled. The fill pipe should have a fitting to allow the delivery hose to be attached securely. Install a gauge to show the contents.

Outside tanks: Install a fill and vent pipe that is accessible to a delivery person, at least 1 ¼" in diameter each, and made of steel or iron pipe. Use a fitting that will allow the driver to attach the hose to the fill pipe. For outside tanks, be sure not to place it where ice or snow may come off the roof onto it, and be certain the surface supporting the tank is truly solid. A 6" concrete mat is the best method, though not always practical.

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3. I have outdoor access to my basement. Do I need an outside fill pipe and vent pipe?
Yes. Delivery personnel cannot deliver inside the home. For safety and environmental reasons they must remain outside, able to return to the truck quickly if need be and able to hear and - usually - see the vehicle at all times.

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4. How can I tell if my oil tank is prone to leaking?
Look for signs of visible corrosion on the outside of the tank, on the tank legs, and on the brackets that attach the tank legs to the tank.

Tank-Sure is a program we offer that will electronically measure the thickness of the steel in the tank in many locations across the bottom once a year. We keep track of changes, so that an oil tank that is beginning to get thinner can be spotted and replaced before it can cause a major headache - and the program will reimburse you for all or most of the cost of replacing that tank.

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