Here in Central Long Island, temperatures might fall low enough that you want to put on the heat some nights in May. But who thinks about heat or heating oil deliveries in June? It might seem crazy, but late spring and early summer is the perfect time for a heating oil delivery.
There are many factors that can make heating oil prices rise and fall, and some are unpredictable, like geopolitics. Others follow fairly regular patterns. One pricing trend you can usually count on, is that as the calendar moves toward winter and temperatures fall, demand for heating oil goes up—and prices follow. Likewise, as the weather warms, there’s less demand for heating oil and prices come down.
Of course, you never know how much prices will rise or fall, you can be pretty confident that heating oil prices will be much lower in the spring and early summer. That makes it a great time to buy heating oil.
If that information isn’t surprising, you might still be intrigued by some other reasons to get a heating oil delivery in June.
Keeping your fuel tank full over the summer is an easy way to extend its life, especially if it’s an older model with a steel interior. Here’s why:
When your heating oil tank sits empty, condensation can form—and that can result in all kinds of problems. For starters, when condensation forms on the interior walls of an empty tank, that water drips down and sinks to the bottom of the tank (because water is denser than heating oil). That water becomes an ideal environment for bacteria and other microorganisms. Over time, the bacteria forms sediment or sludge, which can get into your fuel lines and clog them up. This will cause your heating system to shut down, probably next winter, right in the middle of a deep freeze. Sludge can also corrode your steel-lined tank from the inside out—a big problem that is difficult to detect early and costly to remediate.
In colder weather, condensation is less likely to form in colder temps. But in summer, especially if your tank is outside, condensation will form quickly. Of course, if you’re signed up for automatic deliveries, we’ll make sure you’re topped off for the summer.
If your water heater runs on heating oil, you’ll need to have some oil in your tank to make sure you have hot water. The largest use of hot water in the summer months is for showers, but your dishwasher needs hot water to get your dishes clean too. If you wash your dishes by hand, you will certainly want some hot water—cold water doesn’t do the job on greasy, dirty pots and pans. You may also want hot water for doing at least some of your laundry.
Need another reason to fill up now? Consider this: If you fill up now, you’ll be golden come fall, when everyone else is calling for a convenient heating oil delivery appointment. You’ll also be ready for an early cold snap. While you’re at it, spring and early summer is the perfect time to schedule your heating system tune-up if you have a service plan with us.
Ready for your fill-up? Contact us today.