I’ve just got a new place. It’s a house, 4-5 BR, that I’m sharing with 3 other good friends. I’ve been put in charge of gettin’ the oil heat up and running (It is already set up for oil heat with the tank and apparatus in the basement). Only thing is I’ve never dealt with oil heat and don’t know much about it, and so I was wondering if I might be able to get some advice here.
Some of the questions I have:
-How much should we expect to spend (annually? winter months in particular)?
Some info: the house is relatively big and actually can be arguably a 6 BR. There is a big basement, the ground floor, and 2.5 BRs upstairs. I’m on LI, which I think has a relatively moderate climate for the States.
-Should I get a service, or just buy oil as needed? How quickly should I expect to go through oil (by the gallon)? Because if I’d only need to restock once or twice a year, it would seem to make more sense to buy as needed, but if we are talkin’ every other week that would of course be different. At the same time it would seem that, given the state of the world, the market price of oil may get considerably more expensive and it may be better to try to lock in a price with a longer term contract. Opinions? (again, I really don’t know much about what I am talking about).
-Finally, how much more expensive is oil than gas heat? I ask because my dad mentioned that he believes many gas companies are offering to switch you over to gas, including apparatus and instillation, at no charge. Do you think it’d be worth talking to my landlord about doing this?
-any other advice any of you more experienced dopers can offer?
It all depends – size of house, amount of insulation, thermometer setting, etc. all affect how much oil you use.
I use oil. I have a regular dealer; he keeps track of the temperature and delivers when enough degree days have passed. I can also call if we’re getting low, but that only happens every couple of years.
The main advantage of a payment contract (I don’t have one – I pay as they deliver) is that the cost is spread over 12 months instead of 6-7. I don’t know if it locks in a price; I can’t imagine an oil company being willing to sell at a loss if the cost of oil goes up.
Gas vs. Oil – also depends. The costs fluctuate. Sometimes gas costs more for a season; sometimes oil does. Pick one and stick with it.
I don’t think that any of us are going to be able to tell you how much you’re going to spend, because every house is different. At my folks’ house, you had the choice between paying whatever the going rate was whenever you needed it, or you could ‘lock in’ a price in august or september (so hurry up) that was for slightly higher than the current price at the pump, and then you’d pay for X gallons and they’d deliver it when you needed it.
This is a good deal because the price of heating oil almost always goes up during the winter, and there was some clause that said that if the price never went X% higher than their lock in price, then they’d get some sort of rebate.
Just to add about oil and gas. On LI they are about the same over time. The biggest advantage of gas cost wise is cooking, hot water and drying - both save $ over electric.
That’s not to say you can’t have oil heat and a gas dryer but I find most oil heat people have electric stoves and dryers.
I just got an oil heat house upstate - I don’t really know much about it excpet that they use kerosine to avoid gelling of the fuel at low temps - I don’t think you really have to worry about it on LI though. Also at closing I bought the fuel in the tank at $1.37 per gal.