4 Things You Need to Know About Buying an Oil Heated Home

Living in a four-season climate like New Hampshire, home heating is a major priority for new and long-term homeowners alike. If you have recently bought a home in New Hampshire that uses oil heat, you have joined a community of customers that benefit from a safe heating source that is efficient and affordable. It is important to familiarize yourself with your oil tank and oil boiler or oil furnace before winter is here to stay.

Heating Oil for New Homeowners

So, you bought an oil heat home. Now what? Use this quick checklist to make sure your new oil-heated home is ready for fall and winter in New Hampshire.

1. Get to the Facts about Heating Oil

   Firstly, it is important for homeowners to understand the fuel that heats their home. Whether you are new to oil heat or familiar with heating oil as a renter, there are several things you should know about oil heat in NH:

   • Heating oil is safe. It is naturally non-flammable and is one of the safest heating options for New Hampshire residents.
   • Heating oil is clean. Today, heating oil in New Hampshire is ultra-low sulfur (ULS) heating oil. ULS heating oil produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions and is better for the longevity of home heating equipment. Bioheat® is also a green heating fuel available in New Hampshire.
   • Heating oil is efficient. Heating oil produces a greater heat output than other energy options. Which means it takes less fuel to produce efficient heat. Plus, new high-efficiency heating oil technology is readily available.

2. Understand Your Oil Tank

   Now that you know what heating oil is about, and why so many NH homeowners use oil heat, it is important to familiarize yourself with your home’s oil tank and heating equipment. Go to your heating oil tank and locate the oil tank gauge. It reads like the gas gauge on your car. It is recommended that you order heating oil when your tank reads ¼ full in order to avoid a fuel runout, or sign up for automatic deliveries with your fuel provider.

3. Find a Local NH Heating Oil Company

   One of the major benefits of heating with oil in New Hampshire is that there are many local heating oil delivery companies all over the state. You can either work with the heating oil company that the previous homeowners used, or you can shop around for a heating oil company that you like best.

4. Order Heating Oil and Schedule Service in NH

   Temperatures will be dropping! Contact your heating oil company to let them know you are the new homeowners. If your oil tank is not full, it’s a good idea to order heating oil in advance so you have the fuel you need when it’s time to turn on the heat. Or, you can sign up for automatic heating oil delivery in NH for greater convenience. It is also a good idea to book an annual heating tune-up so that your HVAC technician can evaluate your heating system before winter.