Oil-Fired Furnace Homeowners: Essential Oil Delivery & Safety Tips

If you've recently moved into a house that is heated by an oil-fired furnace, you may have some questions about oil delivery services and what safety precautions you should take when having a heating oil tank on your property. Here are a few options to consider.

Home Heating Oil Delivery Service Options

There are several various features that heating oil delivery services can provide for the convenience of their customers. Since you've never had an oil-fired furnace before, you likely don't have any idea how much oil you will use and how much the oil will cost. Fortunately, you can get an idea of the typical usage by asking local oil delivery services for average amounts that others in your community use during a typical winter month.

Doing this can help you determine these two things: 

• Do you want to have oil delivered automatically every month or delivered when you place an order on an as-needed basis? Typically, it's a good idea to have oil delivered automatically and the tank topped off because doing so helps reduce the risks of running out of oil, particularly during cold snaps when so many others are ordering. The reason for this is because ordering on an as-needed basis means you may have to wait for your turn. 
• Do you want to pay upon delivery or pay on a budget plan? If you're worried that your budget will be busted in the winter months due to high oil costs and/or you would rather know what you'll be paying monthly as opposed to getting a surprise each time, choose an oil delivery service that allows you to space the payments over the year in 12 equal payments rather than 3 or 4 months of large payments that are due upon delivery. An additional advantage to budget savings plans is that they typically lock in a per-gallon rate. 

Heating Oil Tank Safety Precautions

Most heating oil tanks are either outside or in the basement. If yours is in the basement, it's important to make sure the tank is in good shape with no corrosion. Each of the legs of the tank should be on a stable foundation and have no cracks, corrosion, or rust. All the lines should be in good condition. It's a good idea to consider securing the tank to the nearest wall for the greatest stability in case of flooding in the basement. Most importantly, before starting an oil delivery schedule, you can expect the service to ask to inspect the oil holding tank before the first delivery.