Bioheat Heating Oil: A Better Choice
The Latest On The Heating Oil Industry
Why Are Heating Oil Prices So High?
If you heat your home with oil, you’ve probably noticed that prices can change from season to season, and sometimes from week to week! But what causes those changes?
Because heating oil is made from crude oil, its price is influenced by the global energy market. Changes in worldwide supply, demand, international events, refinery production and transportation can all affect the cost of the fuel used to heat your home.
Heating oil is part of the larger market for distillate fuels, which also includes diesel and other petroleum products. When demand increases or supplies become tighter, heating oil prices can rise as well.
Here in New England, heating fuel moves through a complex network of refineries, imports, terminals and transportation infrastructure. Disruptions or increased demand anywhere along that network can put additional pressure on regional fuel supplies and prices.
What Does This Mean for Homeowners?
Many factors that influence heating oil prices are outside our control. At Rural Fuels, our goal is to provide reliable delivery, straightforward pricing and dependable service to help keep your home comfortable throughout the heating season. Below we’ve compiled some information to help you use your heating oil more efficiently. Higher efficiency means few gallons!
A Smarter Way To Heat your Home
If you heat your home with oil, you don’t have to choose between reliable comfort and a more sustainable fuel.
Bioheat® Home Heating Oil combines ultra-low sulfur heating oil with biodiesel made from renewable resources. The result is a cleaner-burning heating fuel that delivers the comfort and performance you expect—while helping reduce your home’s environmental impact.
And the best part? You can use Bioheat in your existing oil heating system. No equipment replacement required.
Winter Heating Oil Tips
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The better your home holds onto heat, the less your heating system needs to run. Insulation, windows, doors and attic spaces can all play a role in how efficiently your home retains warmth.
A home energy assessment can help identify where you're losing heat and which improvements could make the biggest difference. Visit Energize CT or your town's municipal website to find energy assessment resources and available rebates.
A more efficient home can mean:
Less heat escaping
Less fuel needed
More consistent comfort
Lower heating costs
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Regular professional maintenance helps keep your boiler or furnace operating safely and efficiently, so you can get the most heat possible from every gallon of heating oil.
If your equipment is older, it may also be worth considering an upgrade. Today's high-efficiency systems can provide greater efficiency, more consistent comfort and improved reliability compared with many older systems.
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Small temperature adjustments can add up over the course of a heating season. Lowering your thermostat when you're sleeping or away from home can reduce the amount of fuel your heating system needs.
A programmable or smart thermostat can make temperature adjustments automatic based on your schedule. Just be mindful during cold weather and maintain a safe temperature to help protect your home and plumbing.
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Running out of heating oil is something every homeowner wants to avoid.
With automatic delivery, Rural Fuels monitors your estimated fuel usage and helps schedule deliveries before your tank gets too low. We can take factors like weather, your home's heating history and seasonal demand into account when planning deliveries.
The benefits:
Convenience: No need to constantly check your tank.
Peace of mind: Stay ahead of your heating needs.
Better planning: Schedule deliveries before you urgently need fuel.
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Heating your home can be a significant winter expense. Our EZ-Pay Budget Plan can make that expense more predictable by spreading your estimated annual heating costs across monthly payments.
Rural Fuels also offers Price Protection Plans designed to help you plan ahead and manage your heating costs. For example, our Cap Price Plan puts a ceiling on the price you pay per gallon while allowing you to benefit if market prices fall.
Schedule Heat Tune-Up
Regular maintenance on your heating system is crucial for maintaining a comfortable home once chilly fall days return.
Four Benefits of a Heat Tune-Up from Rural Fuels
Save money on repairs from unmaintained equipment
Reduce occurrences of equipment breakdown
Extend the life and efficiency of your equipment
Add our Service Plan and get 24/7 emergency service
Inspect your oil tank
It’s easy to forget about your oil tank – it’s out of sight, so out of mind. Over time, oil tanks can develop leaks or other issues that can pose a risk to your property and the environment.
Even if your tank is not leaking, it may show signs of deterioration or have exceeded its normal life expectancy of 20 years for basement tanks and 10 years for outdoor tanks. Our team is available to discuss and perform any next steps, including tank removal and replacement.