ARE YOU NEW TO HEATING OIL IN DE, MD, & PA?

Here’s what you need to know about your oil heating system.

As an oil heat consumer, you should know that oil is clean, efficient, cost-effective, safe, and versatile.

Heating oil is one of the most effective ways to heat your home. Oil has excellent energy potential, and new oil heat systems are highly efficient & effective.

1. YOU own your heating oil tank. It belongs to the home.

Because propane companies own the propane tanks at home, this can be unclear to someone new to heating oil. The oil tank in your home does not belong to the oil company, and you can use whatever oil company you want to fill your tank.

2. You CAN run out of heating oil.

If you are coming from electric or natural gas heat, those sources do not “run out.” However, the heating oil in your oil tank can and will run out if not replenished regularly. Consider automatic delivery to ensure this never happens and you go without heat or cause damage to your heating system.

3. You must familiarize yourself with your oil heating system basics.

First, you must determine whether you have an oil furnace or a boiler.

How does your oil furnace work?
An oil furnace is a device that burns oil to heat air.

(A) The thermostat sends a signal to the controls on the burner.
(B) The fuel pump draws oil through a filter to the burner.
(C) The burner turns the oil into a fine spray, mixes it with air, and ignites it in the combustion chamber, causing the chamber to become very hot.
(D) Air absorbs heat in the heat exchanger.
(E) A blower sends this air through ducts to heat the home.
(F) The air eventually circulates to the heat exchanger, and the cycle continues. (G) Combustion emissions are vented out of the flue.
H) Hillside Oil Heating & Cooling is a full-service heating oil company. We deliver fuel to your home and can install, maintain, and repair oil (and natural gas, propane gas, and electric) heating systems in DE, MD, & PA.

Another type of oil heating system is a boiler. Instead of air, boilers heat up, circulating water pumped through pipes to radiators. Some oil heat systems also heat hot water.

4. Determine how much oil is still in the tank.

Tanks should never be empty. If your tank is less than a quarter full, you should order more oil soon. Running out of heating oil is worse than running out of gasoline in your car.

There are several ways to measure how much oil is in the tank. If you have an oil gauge, you need to read it, but if you don’t, you can use a dipstick or a rod to find out how many inches of oil you have, then consult a tank chart.

Remember: it’s best to be conservative and order your heating oil early rather than in a no-heat emergency. What is the best way to manage this risk? Sign up for FREE Automatic Delivery and let Hillside Oil Heating and Cooling worry about managing your heating oil.

5. Heating oil bills can be expensive during the coldest winter months.

Budget plans are available. A monthly budget plan is an effective way to avoid large peak-season bills. Monthly budget payments allow customers to spread their heating expenses throughout the year. The calculation of a customer’s monthly budget is straightforward. Hillside uses estimated annual expenditures and divides that amount into equal monthly payments. The budget amount may be adjusted up or down as many times as needed throughout the season, depending on price and weather.

6. Oil heat systems do require maintenance.

An annual check-up is a critical maintenance task. This includes inspection, cleaning, tuning up, and replacing some parts, such as filters and nozzles, as needed. Correctly maintained oil heat systems can last for up to 20 years.