Now that the weather has warmed up and you’re more likely to run your AC, you might be tempted to think less about your heating oil tank and let the level get much lower than you would during the winter. That’s not a good idea. You should keep your tank full all year long. That includes the summer months. We’ll explain why in a bit.
When are the best months to buy heating oil? Thanks to the effects of supply and demand, heating oil costs are usually at their lowest for the year from April through September. That makes right now a great time to fill your tank with heating oil. And while getting your heating oil at what is likely to be a market low price is a great incentive for buying heating oil during the spring and summer months, it isn’t the only reason to keep a full tank even when the weather is quite warm.
There are a couple reasons why you should keep your tank full this summer. When you don’t keep your heating oil tank as full as possible, debris can clog your oil filters. Clogged oil filters reduce the efficiency of your heating system and can even cause it to fail altogether. Both of those scenarios will cost you more money in energy and/or repair costs.
When you don’t keep your tank full, you also need to worry about condensation. That’s especially true during the summer months when you have hot and humid days followed by cooler nights. Conditions during the summer months can accelerate condensation buildup in your tank. The water formed by condensation forms an ideal environment for bacteria to build up and create heating oil sludge in your tank. Again, if that sludge gets into your filters, it will decrease your system’s efficiency or cause it to fail.
Your tank is even more susceptible to condensation if it’s aboveground, outside, or in an unshaded area.
Another reason condensation is an issue is that if water is allowed to build up in your tank, it can cause rust, and that rust can cause your heating system to fail.
By keeping enough heating oil in your tank, you can avoid the above costly problems.
How full is full enough? Try to keep your tank at least half full (though fuller is better) all summer long. All year long, actually. Not sure how much heating oil to order? Valley Oil has an easy-to-use oil delivery calculator on our website.
When you’re a Valley Oil customer, you get top-quality heating oil delivered to your home at the best prices available in the Hudson Valley. Value is high on our list, so we’re committed to offering a heating oil product that won’t overwhelm your budget. We also add value for our customers by offering a budget plan, price protection, and reliable automatic delivery.
Valley Oil is here to help our customers pay less and smile more. Contact us today to sign up for automatic delivery or to learn more about our heating oil services.
Valley Oil provides discount fuel oil to price-savvy customers in Dutchess and Ulster counties.
Try our easy-to-use oil delivery calculator to determine how much fuel you’ll need to order.
Valley Oil works with local Home Energy Assistance Programs (HEAP) to help you afford fuel.
You can now download our app (available for IOS and Android) to have 24-hour access to your account. Order fuel conveniently from your device. Enjoy high quality, low cost heating oil and reliable deliveries. Just search for Valley Oil in the App store or Google Play to get started.
