When driving past a gas station in Framingham, Holliston, Watertown, Brookline, Norfolk or another part of our service region, do you check out the fuel prices? If the price is low, doesn’t it make sense to top off your tank and save a few bucks?
The same is true of heating oil.
We work daily at Needham Oil Complete Heating & Cooling to secure the best possible prices from our heating oil suppliers. We also keep our operating costs low and pass these savings on to our customers.
We can also help you order fuel in the smartest way possible to save money and ensure uninterrupted comfort.
Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to arrange a heating oil delivery during warmer months. Heating oil prices tend to dip somewhat in summer when demand is lower. (As we’ll discuss later, residential demand is not the only factor affecting fuel prices.)
You can be confident that the Needham Oil delivery team will get to you fast in warmer months because we’re receiving far fewer calls for fuel.
Another benefit to filling your oil tank in warmer weather is slowing internal corrosion. The leading cause of heating oil tank failure is corrosion. When your tank sits nearly empty for multiple hot weeks, condensation can form inside it. This water settles at the bottom of the tank, fostering sediment, bacteria and other harmful agents.
And you don’t need to worry about your heating oil “going bad” in warm weather. It has a shelf life of 18 and 24 months.
Many variables affect heating oil prices, and most are outside the control of local companies who deliver it. Heating oil is a product derived from crude. That makes it vulnerable to global oil markets, which have been rocked in recent years by supply chain issues, COVID-related refinery slowdowns, OPEC production cuts and military conflicts.
Seasonal demand in the Northeast (which accounts for about 90 percent of the country’s home heating usage) also plays a part. An icy winter in part of New England can cause price increases all over the region.
Please understand that Needham Oil does not make more money when prices increase. We’re as hopeful as you for heating oil rates to stay low.
Needham Oil may not be able to change global energy markets, but we have ways to make your bills more predictable and lower your winter fuel expenses. With our free SmartPay Plan , you don’t have to pay in full for each delivery. We will calculate your anticipated annual heating oil costs and then divide them into 12 equal monthly payments. You’ll pay the same amount each month, and your winter bills will be cut virtually in half.
You don’t pay more for your heating oil with SmartPay. At the end of the program year, we will settle your account. If you have a credit balance, we apply it to your next year. Any debit balances must be paid. In the end, you won’t pay a penny more than the cost of the fuel you received on the dates it was delivered.
If you haven’t filled your heating oil tank yet, fall is still a great time to do it. Reach out to us to order fuel.