We have designed this web site to help the consumer get a better understanding of their heating oil costs, and why those prices change so often. You will also learn how to shop for lower heating oil prices and how to negotiate with your heating oil dealer. You will also find articles on how you can make your home more energy efficient to reduce what you pay for heat.

The key to finding the best heating oil prices is to know what the market price is. You can begin by reading the Heating Oil Prices links article. This article links to the weekly heating oil prices as reported state by state by the EIA.

Other important articles to read:

Heating Oil Maintenance

How Are Heating Oil Prices Determined?

Saving Money On Heating Oil Prices
 

Tune up your oil burner

When was the last time you had your furnace tuned up? It’s been that long, hasn’t it? If you have a contract with your oil dealer, they will frequently do it for free or at a reduced cost. If not, expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $150 to have it done. It will be well worth it. Do this during the summer when your oil dealer is slow. Better to have it checked then than to have it break down during a cold snap right?

Change the furnace filter

If you have a forced air system, be sure to check the filter monthly. A clogged filter will cause your furnace to work harder and will burn more heating oil.

Turn down your thermostat

This is almost a no brainer. Why heat your home when no one is home? You should install a programmable thermostat so it will automatically lower and raise the temperature when you are away. You can also set it to lower the temperature when you go to sleep at night. You can replace your old one and install the new one yourself.

Move Drapes and furniture away from registers and radiators.

This can block the heat from getting to you in the room. Make sure nothing is blocking the vents so the heat can circulate better.

Install radiator reflectors.

Installing a radiator reflects can help move some of that heat back into the room making you warmer.

Clean the air registers

These frequently get dirty from collecting hair and dirt from your home. Be sure to not only clean the registers that pump heat into the room, but also clean the return register to the furnace.

Open the Curtains

You should leave the curtains and drapes open during the day on your entire south facing windows. This will allow the sun into the room and will help keep it warm. Close the curtains and drapes at night to keep that heat in.

Check the weatherstripping around the doors and windows

This is usually where you lose a lot of your heat. Feel around the doors and windows for drafts. If you do, you will need to replace the weatherstripping there. This is a very simple job you can do yourself. Weatherstripping is very inexpensive and will make your home feel more comfortable.

Following these low cost tips can help you save a significant amount of money this winter.

Supply and demand is also a big factor in heating oil prices. If there are supply disruptions or a sudden drop in temperature, then the price of heating oil can shoot higher. You can follow oil prices by watching the heating oil futures market. There, prices are changing every second and will give you an indication of the direction of prices.

How do we produce heating oil?

Let’s start at the very beginning. Home heating oil is refined from crude oil. At the refineries, crude oil is “cracked” or separated into different refined products. These products are gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, heating oil diesel and other oils. Heating oil, which is also known as No. 2 fuel oil is the second largest “cut” of a barrel of crude right after gasoline. Diesel fuel and heating oil are very closely related often referred to as distillates. The difference between the two is that diesel fuel will contain less sulfur. Because there is more sulfur in diesel, that fuel will be priced higher than heating oil.

Where do we get our heating oil?

We get our oil from two sources, domestic refineries and the balance of our supplies from foreign countries. Heating oil can be shipped throughout the United States by pipelines, tankers, barges trucks and also rail cars.

Heating oil is then brought to large storage terminals. An example would be the New York Harbor Oil market. From this location, oil can then be transported to other areas along the northeast coast by way of barges and pipelines. From there, it is transported to small storage tanks and then finally onto the consumer by trucks.

Who Are Heating Oil Users?

There are approximately over 115 million households in the United States. Of that amount, just over 8 million use heating oil to heat their homes. This makes heating oil demand very seasonal. The Energy Information Agency considers the heating season to run from October to March each year. The Northeast part of the United States is the largest user of heating oil. Approximately 80% of the heating oil users are located there. Heating oil and also propane gas are frequently used when there are no local natural gas pipelines nearby.

How can you reduce your heating oil bill?

There are generally 3 ways to save money on heating oil prices. One is to shop around for the lowest prices. If you do not have a contract with a heating oil dealer, you are free to purchase you oil from whomever you decide. This does give you some leverage when shopping and comparing heating oil prices. You can also typically save money by purchasing your heating oil in the summer or early fall. Prices are generally lower then, demand is lower so are prices usually.

You can also talk to your dealer to see if they offer a pre-buy program or a fixed price protection options. These are ways to help prevent you from having to pay a lot of money for heating oil if there is a price spike.

Tune up your furnace and also make your house energy efficient

Much of your heating dollars are wasted on either an inefficient furnace through leaks that lets cold air in. You should get a home energy audit to see where those leaks are coming from and to stop them before the heating season. The auditor will give you tips on how to weatherize your home. Many of those projects you can do yourself and will cost very little money.

Installing a programmable thermostat and setting back the heat will results in significant savings. You can set the thermostat to lower the heat when your home is empty, and to automatically raise the heat before you come home.

If you are having problem paying for heat this winter, many states, counties and towns offer heating assistance programs. One such program is the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program also known as LIHEAP

If you use heating oil to heat your home, then every winter bring a bit of anxiety doesn’t it? The big question is what will you be paying for heating oil this year? Heating oil prices can fluctuate quite a bit, so it can keep the consumer on pins and needles as to what their heating bill will be for this winter.

There are several ways to combat this. First will be for the consumer to shop around for the best heating oil prices. This will entail you to go over last years heating bills and to calculate how much oil you used. Bear in mind if the previous year was warmer or colder than normal, and make adjustments for that.

C.O.D or full service heating oil delivery?

With this information, you can begin to call the heating oil dealers in your area to find out what they are charging. The cheapest heating oil is usually from dealer that will deliver C.O.D. These are dealers where you have to pay for the oil when it is delivered either in cash or credit card. You are only buying oil from them. You are also free to use a different dealer for each fill up. If you need maintenance from them or if your furnace breaks down, you will be paying full cost for those repairs and maintenance. These dealers usually DO NOT offer automatic delivery, so it is up to you to monitor your usage. You should call for a delivery when your tank is at about ¼ full.

Many consumers like to use one dealer to deliver their heating oil and to do maintenance on their heating system. These dealers will charge more for the oil, but you are also getting services too. These dealers can also offer you billing and automatic delivery too. A full service dealer can offer you annual maintenance and servicing of your unit. They can also supply parts at a discount. Plus you will have someone to call when your furnace breaks down in the middle of the night of a snowstorm.

Choosing a Heating Oil Dealer

During the summer before the weather turns cold, you should take some time to shop around and compare heating oil prices and services that your local dealer will provide.
Some of these questions are as follows:

·    How long has the dealer been in business? An established dealer will have a list of customers that you can call and to see if they are happy with their service. You can also check your local Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints filed against them.
·    What is their heating oil price per gallon? Are there other fees involved like delivery or handling fees? The total price should be disclosed to you before ordering oil.
·    What type of service is included with the price? If there isn’t what would it cost to have it included?
·    Do they offer any special discounts? If you pay within a certain time frame, is there a reduced price?
·    Do they offer service contract? What are the terms and length of the contract? Are there penalties if you terminate the contract early?
·    How did they treat you on the phone when you first called? This can be a good indication of how they will service you. If you call and you are talking to someone who is rude or acts like they are doing you a favor, hang up and cal the next number on your list. If you leave a message and no one gets back to you, you can only imagine how they will treat you when your furnace breaks down.

Heating Oil Payment Plans

Heating oil dealers offer several types of payment plans. Some will offer you a budget payment plan that will allow you to spread your payments over several months. This will help many consumers from getting hit with a large bill when they accept an oil delivery.

Another type of contract that dealers offer is a locked-in price contract. There are usually two types available. A fixed rate heating oil contract will lock you in to a fixed price all heating season. With a fixed rate contract, you will know exactly how much you will pay for heating oil per gallon. This works out nice for the consumer if prices unexpectedly go higher. However if prices drop, you will be stuck paying the higher price.

A price cap contract is a little different. The cap will set at the highest price you will pay that season. This way you know the most you will pay for heating oil per gallon. This rate is usually higher that the fixed rate. However if prices drop, you will then be charged a lower rate. This can be a good deal for you and the dealer. The oil dealer ahs a steady customer that winter, and you will know what you will be paying for that oil.

Pre-buying heating oil

Another option that some oil supplier will offer is a pre-buy plan. This is where you and the dealer estimate the amount of heating oil you will use during the contracts length. With that the dealer will charge you the full amount up front. If oil prices rise, then you will come out ahead. If they drop, then it will cost you. There is usually a penalty fee you must pay if you want to terminate the contract early.

Read the Contract carefully

When you enter into a contract with an oil dealer, this is legally binding. Before signing, make sure you fully understand it. Read it carefully line by line and ask questions if you don’t understand a section. All prices, fees and terms should be in writing. Do not accept verbal promises.

Look For Heating Oil Buying Groups

Heating oil groups are a great way for consumers to band together in a cooperative and to shop for discounted heating oil. By forming or joining a group, you can possibly negotiate a much better price than if you dealt with a dealer individually. Heating oil co-ops usually charge a small membership fee to join. Often times you can earn a referral fee if you have someone join the group.

Do you need help paying for your heating oil this year?

With heating oil prices and propane prices being high this winter, many people are having problems paying for their heat. There are government programs set up to help those who meet certain income limits. There are also programs for he elderly and the disabled. Check with your local, county, state and federal government to see if you qualify if you are having problems affording heating fuel this winter.

Prices are updated each Wednesday from October to March by the EIA

Nation weekly EIA heating oil price averages

State by State Sorted by region from EIA

East Coast (PADD 1)

New England (PADD 1A)

• Connecticut Heating Oil Prices
• Maine Heating Oil Prices
• Massachusetts Heating Oil Prices
• New Hampshire Heating Oil Prices
• Rhode Island Heating Oil Prices
• Vermont Heating Oil Prices

Central Atlantic  (PADD 1B)

• Delaware Heating Oil Prices
• District of Columbia Heating Oil Prices
• Maryland Heating Oil Prices
• New Jersey Heating Oil Prices
• New York Heating Oil Prices
• Pennsylvania Heating Oil Prices

Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)

• North Carolina Heating Oil Prices
• Virginia Heating Oil Prices

Midwest (PADD 2)

• Indiana Heating Oil Prices
• Iowa Heating Oil Prices
• Kentucky Heating Oil Prices
• Michigan Heating Oil Prices
• Minnesota Heating Oil Prices
• Nebraska Heating Oil Prices
• Ohio Heating Oil Prices
• Wisconsin Heating Oil Prices

Welcome To Compare Heating Oil Prices

Saving Money On Heating Oil Prices

Heating Oil Price Links

Heating Oil Maintenance

How Are Heating Oil Prices Determined?