Considerations When Getting Your Home Heating Oil Delivery

Heating oil systems are often used in areas of the country where natural gas is not available or where electric is too expensive to consider. If you are new to the use of heating oil, then you should know that the fuel is ordered and delivered to your home. Specifically, it is pumped into your outdoor fuel tank. If you have never ordered a delivery before, then some of the details may be foreign to you. Keep reading to learn about some of the things you need to think about before you call your delivery company.

There Are Different Types Of Oils

When you order your fuel oil, you will need to specify which type of oil you want. This will depend on the type of system that you have and also the age of the unit. Older units will often use something called gas oil, which is the same thing as diesel fuel. Agricultural and industrial size heating units often still use this sort of fuel, so you may see it if you have purchased a farmhouse or if you have moved on an agricultural property. 

Kerosene is the other type of fuel that your heating system is likely to use. However, the kerosene is typically dyed red and may be referred to simply as home heating oil. And, there are different grades of this fuel. The more traditional kerosene that you can buy at your local home store is a high-grade fuel that is highly refined. The one that is delivered to your house is a bit lower in grade and is classified as either grade one or two. Grade-two heating oil is the most commonly offered, and it is quite efficient and cost-effective. This is most likely what you should be ordering.

Keep in mind that there are heating oils that are graded from three to six, but these types of oils contain much more debris and solid material, meaning they are likely to burn inefficiently and leave wastes in your filters.

You May Use Fuel Quickly

You should be setting up a fuel delivery on a schedule so you do not run out of heating oil. Not only will your heating system stop working, but the debris that sits at the bottom of your fuel tank will make its way through your fuel line and clog your system. 

You may use fuel oil more quickly than you think, based on the size of the tank and the efficiency of your system. And, you should be looking at the gauge on your fuel tank every few days. Marking down how much fuel you use each day and every week will help to determine how often you should be getting an oil delivery. Typically, you want the delivery to happen when there is still at least about 100 gallons in the tank so you do not run out.