How do home heating oil contracts work?

[black rabbit]

I've got some friends who just had a baby.

Mom's not working for a bit, and Dad's hours have just been cut back significantly.

Dad accidentally let slip to me the other day that they can't afford to fill up their oil tank. They have a wood burning stove, but still, for a circa 50's ranch house, that can't work out terribly well.

Since we're now usually dipping in to the low 20's most nights now, I'd like to fill up their tank.

I just don't want them to know it came from me, because I would be taking these funds from my Save Up For A Vacation To Reward Myself For Getting A Divorce Kitty, and they've both seriously encouraged me to take that vacation.

So, how would I go about getting their tank filled?

The only fuel delivery services I've ever dealt with have been propane suppliers for generators, and they generally require that you be under contract and use their own tanks.

Are residential heating oil places the same way?

It would be really awesome if I could just call up an oil place, give them the address and my CC#, and tell them to show up on a day when I know mom will be home. If I can't figure out how to buy the actual fuel anonymously, I'll either mail them an anonymous money order or man up and tell them I'm paying for their heat. I just want to save them potential embarrassment.

Any suggestions? Maybe I can phrase it as a Christmas gift. I dunno.

[Girl Hermit]

I don't know how it works in Vortex Four but I do know where I live, in Northern Ontario, you do not have to have a contract. When I need the tank filled I call the supply company, give them my credit card information over the phone and they come out and fill my tank. I don't need to be home as the pipe to fill the tank extends outside, where the oil guy hooks his hose up. You need to tell them how many litres you want, do you know what size their tank is? I believe 900L is fairly standard. It's kind of you to help them.

[Smeghead]

Around here, what you propose would work just fine, even if they were on a contract. My contract specifies that I pre-purchased 700 gallons of oil (at $4.20 a gallon, but that's another thread), which is mine for however long it takes me to get through it. I could, theoretically, have someone else come fill up my tank the day before my company comes out, which is what you're suggesting. I'd then pay company B for the oil I get from them, instead of dipping into my already-owned 700 gallon supply. You may need to figure out the details of their contract somehow.

[black rabbit]

Sorry, I'm in SW Ohio.

Dad mentioned $2500 to get the tank filled, and based on the current going rate (average $2.75/gallon over the past month), that seems to work out to about a 900 gallon tank.

Hmmm. I'm swinging by their place weekend for a bit; I think I'd better do some more subtle spying and prying.

[Harmonious Discord]

You certainly don't have to fill a tank to have oil delivered.

I've gone into billing and applied a credit to a persons account. I let the company call them and let them know that a credit to their account was made. It wasn't for oil, but I would think they'd accept money and apply it to the account while calling them to ask for an appointment for oil delivery.

I would not have oil just delivered. There is a chance that it could go in the wrong pipe or overflow. It has happened in the past. If somebody is home and they are alerted, that would work out I'm sure.

[CAT=^..^=]

I live in WI, and most of the people I know have propane tanks, but some still use oil. When we had a propane tank, we didn't have a set amount we had to buy, but we did have to buy it from the company that leased us the tank.
We switched over to natural gas, so don't do that anymore.

But I would think you would just have to find out what company fills their tank and then ask them to fill it and pay ahead. The oil company could then set up a delivery date and time, and let the family know the bill has already been paid.

You could probably get it filled, or just set a certain dollar amount. When my sister or mother get their propane tanks filled, the can choose to fill them all the way, or purchase a set amount. There probably is a minimum.

As far as spying, a lot of tanks have the company name and phone number right on them. Ours did.

Good luck. It is a very nice gesture. :)