Our automatic oil delivery depends on a degree day system that helps us keep track of how cold it is and when you need an oil delivery.
Most homes start using their heating systems when the outside temperature falls below 65 degrees. A degree-day is the average number of degrees below 65 on a given day. For example, if the average temperature on Oct 1st is 55 degrees, we would say that 10 degree-days accumulated on October 1st (65-10). If the average temperature on Oct 2nd is 50 degrees, that would mean that 15 degree-days (65-50=15) accumulated on October 2nd. Add the degree days together (10 +15=25) and we see that 25 degree-days have accumulated since the start of October. If you do this for an entire season you will have a total of degree days. In Connecticut we accumulate close to 4,800 degree-days a year.
Depending on how high you set your thermostat or the size of your home, the house will use a constant amount of oil for every degree day. Again, depending on the size of the home, a large home might use one gallon for every two degree-days, a small house maybe using one gallon for every 10 degree-days. This is called “Consumption Factor”. In this case a small home may have a WKF of ten and the larger home would have a WKF of two.
Once we’ve determined a home’s WKF. This is done after a couple of deliveries or the past history on your account, we project when we need to make a delivery. For example a house with a WKF of five that has a 275-gallon tank we try to deliver a tank when it is 1/3 full. We target a delivery of 180 gallons. Since we know the WKF is five and since we want to make a 180 gallon delivery, we know we should deliver oil to this house every 900 degree-days.
Clean Research conducted at Brookhaven National Labs shows that Oilheat advances have reduced oil burner emissions to near zero levels. The new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission ratings affirm that oil burners are now one of the cleanest combustion sources in the United States.
Comfortable One of the main things buyers want in a home-whether new or pre-owned-is comfort. That’s why the choice of heating fuel used in a home is so important. Oil heat is a smart choice. It keeps families snug, cozy and comfortable throughout the entire heating season-and supplies plenty of hot water as well.
Efficient The cost of heat is also very important to homebuyers. Today’s Oil heat appliances offer energy efficiencies 83% to 94%. That means from 83 to 94 cents of every dollar spent on fuel goes to heating the house and the hot water used in it. This outstanding efficiency does wonders for the family budget!
Reliable With oil heat, homeowners have a secure supply of fuel right on their own property. When additional fuel is needed, it is readily supplied by a dependable local oil dealer. With over 36 oil-producing countries, the U.S. is not dependent on any one region-and total proven reserves are 60% higher then they were in 1985. All this makes oil the dependable heating fuel of choice.
Safe Homeowners will appreciate Oilheat’s safety for a variety of reasons. Home heating oil will not explode and is not even combustible at room temperature. It has to be heated to 140 degrees before it vaporizes. In addition, an Oilheat system will give off smoke and turn itself off before emitting dangerous carbon monoxide.
Environmentally Friendly Today’s homeowners are aware of the importance of environmental protection. That’s another reason why they like oilheat. Air polluting emissions from Oilheat are insignificant, and oil store tanks offer not threat to the environment. Fuel oil is biodegradable. Oilheat is not only best for homeowners-its best for our planet as well.
Versatile Oilheat is versatile. It can be used in forced air, boilers or radiant appliances. Air conditioners, air cleaners and humidification systems can be added, radiant tubing can keep driveways and walkways free of ice and snow. Great for pools and hot tubs. Oil can be stored outdoors above ground or underground-in garages, basements, or utility rooms. Many of today’s tanks are even guaranteed against leaking.
When temperatures are predicted to fall to 0 to 10 degrees overnight, frozen water pipes will be a concern for some residents.
Here are some preparation tips in advance of frigid weather:
When temperatures are consistently at or below freezing:
HEATING SYSTEMS:
The heating system needs to be tuned-up annually, it is the best thing you can do for your system, your energy bills and your future comfort. Here are the benefits of an annual tune-up.
Ensure that your Heating and Air Conditioning Systems are working efficiently…call us today @ 203-453-1200 to schedule your annual tune-up. We are here to make sure your comfort exceeds your expectations.
East River Energy is proud to introduce Bioheat to their residential customers. Bioheat is good for our environment and good for your home heating equipment.
What is Bioheat “Bioheat” is a heating oil blend containing biodiesel, a renewable fuel. It helps heating oil burn cleaner, making it better for the environment and home heating systems. The fuel is comprised of East River Energy premium heating oil blended with biodiesel to create “Bioheat”. Biodiesel is made from soybean oil and processed from other fats and vegetable oils.
Why use Bioheat? Bioheat helps heating oil burn cleaner within a boiler or furnace. This is better for the environment and can also help maintain cleaner heat exchangers which can extend the life of a customer’s heating system. Biodiesel is a natural, biodegradable fuel, obtained from recyclable, organic sources such as soybeans produced largely right here in on American farms. Biodiesel acts as a solvent which keeps equipment free of sludge and other debris build up as well as a superior lubricant agent extending the life of equipment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that if everyone in the Northeast heating with oil utilized a Bioheat with a blend of 5%, 50 million gallons of heating oil would be conserved.
Is Bioheat reliable? East River Energy’s Bioheat with a blend ratio of up to 5% is extremely reliable. Similar products have been extensively utilized in European markets for many years with great success. East River Energy combines our proven premium heating oil with the best biodiesel available in the market to produce our very own Bioheat.
Do I need to change my heating equipment? East River Energy’s Bioheat requires no changes to existing equipment or storage tanks.
Many things can affect the price of home heating oil. OPEC decides to limit production, storms in the Gulf and turbulent times in the Middle East. We at East River Energy purchase oil contracts during the year in an effort to get our customers the best price. Our new BIOHEAT will help conserve energy, and proper maintenance of your home heating equipment will help conserve oil and save money.
What do I do if my oil burner isn’t operating? Oil burners are generally trouble-free and reliable devices. But, like all precision machinery, your home’s heating system can require attention. There are some things you can do before calling East River Energy that may restore burner operations and save you a service call. • Be sure that the oil burner switch (looks like a light switch but usually has a red cover plate) is in the on position. • Make sure there is oil in the tank-look at the gauge or for buried tanks use a wooden dip stick to check the oil level. • Set your thermostat above room temperature to be sure it is demanding heat and telling the furnace to come on. • Press the reset button on the relay located on the top of the burner (once only). If burner does not run at all, check for blown fuse or tripped breaker at your electrical service box.
If your burner still fails to operate or runs briefly and shuts off, call East River Energy for service. For your convenience our service technicians are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
What do I do if my air conditioning isn’t operating? If the unit is frozen, it will not operate until the ice on the coil melts, which will take approximately 12 to 24 hours. We cannot work on a unit while it is frozen but we will be happy to get a technician there when it is thawed out. On the very hot days, it will take several hours to cool a house. Some people have a tendency to leave the A/C off all day, return home and expect the house to cool in a few minutes. This is not the case. On very hot days, it is beneficial to start the unit in the morning to help keep up with the heat of the day.
What is the difference between a furnace and a boiler? A furnace uses forced hot air to produce heat in your home. A boiler uses hot water.
While I’m on winter vacation, what temperature should I leave my house? You should keep your heat set between 60-65 degrees to keep the pipes from possible freezing.
Do my radiators need to be bled during the heating season? That is not normally necessary unless you are having a specific problem
My heating equipment is very old. How do I know if it is time to replace it? Although there is no exact age when equipment must be replaced, many consider replacement within a 20- to 25 – year time frame. If your equipment has been properly maintained and continues to run efficiently, it could have a longer life span.
Why does my house only heat up to 68 degrees when I put my thermostat at 70 degrees? Thermostats are not always 100% accurate and there will often be a small difference.