CONSUMER TIPS

Oilheat Facts and Figures
Oilheat Benefits and Safety
Ecology
Protect your existing tank

The following information is provided by the Massachusetts Oilheat Council. www.massoilheat.org

…Consumer Tips

…Key Oilheat Facts & Figures

…There are about 900 Oilheat dealers in Massachusetts. About 600 are defined as full-service operations which mean the companies provide home heating fuel; and heating and cooling equipment sales, service and installation. These companies also have an established place of business, operate a fleet of fuel delivery and service vehicles, employ administrative and technical employees, offer various budgeting and Oilheat buying plans, offer fuel delivery based on degree-day monitoring, are fully insured for all operations and have active compliance programs to adhere to all state and federal laws and regulations.

…The remaining 300 Oilheat dealers are considered fuel only, discount, one-truck, or COD (cash on delivery) operations. This means that these companies have lower overhead costs than full-service dealers because they may operate out of a home, may employ only one or two people, may have only one truck for fuel delivery, and may contract with independent technicians for equipment installation and repair.

…About 2 billion gallons of heating oil is used annually in homes, businesses, schools and other operations in Massachusetts every year according to the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA). This makes Massachusetts the third largest heating oil state in terms of volume behind New York and Pennsylvania.

…Nationally, about 8 billion gallons of heating oil is used annually in 22 states according to NORA.

A typical home in Massachusetts uses 900 gallons of heating oil during the peak heating months from October through March for heat and hot water production.Ý This usage is down significantly from around 1200 gallons a year in the 1970ís and 1980ís because of the installation of more efficient home heating oil systems and conservation efforts by the Oilheat industry and consumers.

The following information was provided by Oilheat America. Please visit them at oilheatamerica.com

OILHEAT BENEFITS: Top

SAFETY

Here are ways in which Oilheat exemplifies safety and dependability:

… It will not burn in a liquid state. In order to light heating oil on fire, you must heat it above 140 degrees, the temperature at which it begins to vaporize.

… There are visible warnings if there is a malfunction. With home heating oil systems, carbon monoxide leaks rarely happen without warning. If an Oilheat system should malfunction, it will release smoke and soot as a visible warning; these serve as early indicators that something is wrong, long before dangerous carbon monoxide can be released into the air.

… It is non-explosive. Heating oil is not explosive.

ECOLOGY Top

Oilheat is an environmentally-friendly and efficient way to heat your home and hot water.

…Oilheat burns cleanly. Todayís Oilheat burns 95% cleaner than in 1970. Since it burns so cleanly, it comes well within the air pollution standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Low-sulfur products and biofuels, such as those made from soy beans, will further reduce the already near-zero emissions.

… Oilheat is kind to the environment. In fact, residential heating oil equipment creates such a negligible amount of emissions that heating oil is not even regulated by the Federal Clean Air Act. Oil storage tanks do not pose a threat to the environment because Oilheat is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and biodegradable.

Protect Your Existing Tank Top

As a homeowner, you know itís essential to insure your property against unforeseen occurrences and protect your natural surroundings. Because of these concerns, homeowners may be unsure about the safety of underground storage tanks, or USTs. The fact is, with the right care and protection, a UST can be an excellent choice.