Heating oil prices ???

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Why don't you heating oil users switch to a central A/C/HEATING STRIP/HEAT PUMP HVAC type system?

Central AC in our area requires using a gas as electricity too expensive or not enough BTU to heat. Heat pumps work but only down to certain cold temp then another source required.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by skyactiv
Originally Posted by PimTac
Every year at this time the east coasters talk about heating oil. Us on the west coast stopped using oil decades ago.

It's interesting how old habits hang on in certain parts of the country.


My guess is that Pennsylvania crude was close by, heating oil was cheap back in the day and the densely populated Northeast makes installing gas lines in old neighborhoods very costly.
Oil furnaces are very reliable and do a great job heating a home.

Why run lines? Just have a delivery truck make some rounds.

I wonder if some people today don't like having the tank outside, it can be an eyesore. Me, I don't like the notion of having an oil tank in the basement (it's not a big deal, not until it springs a leak that is), but for some, they might prefer that over an external tank.


Few people have a tank outside. Its either in the basement or outside underground. And outside underground is getting nearly impossible with an oil leak liability.

I have 2x275 gal in the basement. No big deal. Its a basement for storage and workshop. Plenty of room.

Oil tanks should not leak if you use the right additives to deal with water at the bottom of the tank.

Also having full oil tanks makes your home pretty self sufficient with a small generator. In NY I have well, septic and propane stove and oil boiler. I could run for a long long time with a small generator.

Compare that to my home in DE with a 4 and 6 ton heat pump. Three circuit breakers per heat pump. For the 6 ton one, the booster coil circuit breaker is 70 amp. Then there is the air handler and compressor each on their own circuit breaker. Add well and refrig and some lights and you are up to a big generator. And some electric for septic.

 

[dlundblad]

We paid .89 a gal. for propane just after we had the new 1000 gal. tank installed. Should pay for itself in a few years if we can continue to fill up when it's that low.

I have a few co workers that still use heating oil IIRC. Apparently last winters -20*F cold spell made things sludge up for one guy? Anybody else have that issue?

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
We paid .89 a gal. for propane just after we had the new 1000 gal. tank installed. Should pay for itself in a few years if we can continue to fill up when it's that low.

I have a few co workers that still use heating oil IIRC. Apparently last winters -20*F cold spell made things sludge up for one guy? Anybody else have that issue?


An owned propane tank is the only way to go. Any propane supplier can fill it. Lower price per gallon and no rental.

I cannot see an oil tank sludging up due to cold weather if the tank is in the basement or underground. Maybe outside. But people would be wise to use an adfitive to deal with sludge.
Tanks with sludge settled to the bottom will get the sludge all stirred up when filled and it's possible to draw enough sludge into the lines and/or filter to clog them.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by dlundblad
We paid .89 a gal. for propane just after we had the new 1000 gal. tank installed. Should pay for itself in a few years if we can continue to fill up when it's that low.

I have a few co workers that still use heating oil IIRC. Apparently last winters -20*F cold spell made things sludge up for one guy? Anybody else have that issue?


An owned propane tank is the only way to go. Any propane supplier can fill it. Lower price per gallon and no rental.

I cannot see an oil tank sludging up due to cold weather if the tank is in the basement or underground. Maybe outside. But people would be wise to use an adfitive to deal with sludge.
Tanks with sludge settled to the bottom will get the sludge all stirred up when filled and it's possible to draw enough sludge into the lines and/or filter to clog them.


A friend of mine has a tank through the people we rented from. He filled up for $1.69 1 week after us. I couldn't believe the difference.

 

[weasley]

This is interesting. When we compare gas(oline) prices we always lose out over here compared to the US (about $6.40/gal if you must know!). However on heating oil it look like we're doing OK.

My house uses oil for heating and hot water - this is unusual in the UK, where most people use mains-supplied gas. We're currently paying about £0.48/litre, which works out about $2.35/gallon - this seems about the same as you guys, which is nice to know. I think a lot of this is because there is much less tax paid on heating oil compared to road fuel over here.