home heating oil

Monty_monty

Monty_monty

#21
#21
genius said:
Well it's the time of the year when the home heating oil contracts get negotiated.

I find the negotiating process very distasteful and stressful. I do some research (NYSERTA prices, local competition) the best I can but when I call up the company (I am a long time customer, 800+ credit score and I pay within a couple of days of my delivery.) they start off with a high ball offer and we have to waste a lot of time and effort playing games. Couple years back I got so disgusted I hung up with my long term vendor and picked another vendor that I really didn't want who gave me a decent contract w/o any back and forth game playing. (They didn't have the reputation of the one I really wanted — reputation is important to me).

When the game player called me back after a couple of days they were shocked, shocked that I didn't tell them the other offer and allow them to match it (I don't operate doing business that way whether it be heating oil, refrigerators or cars i.e., "tell me what the other guy offered and I will see what we can do when I talk to my manager").

what do you guys do?

ideas?
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I use codfuel.com [https://codfuel.com/fuel/main/Home.aspx], I do my own furnace maintenance and such, so don't need a service contract... but the website does also have a newer section for- hire to do manage this.

And get cash vs credit card pricing, and volume/value pricing. During peak periods I can manage my oil prices, buying on less cold days and less demand equaling lower ppg pricing etc.

I learned how to do maintenance with Google on a 60 year old Becket burner.. eventually replaced it with a Riello 7 years ago [100% tear out and replace]
 
The Exiled

The Exiled

#26
#26
tony soprano said:
Wow, not accurate when you can get it for $1.00/gal cheaper. Not sure what prices they use to calculate the average
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I see all those discount oil companies are much cheaper. I feel violated now. I'm surprised, with the price of crude and gas going up, I would of thought heating oil would be much higher. Supply must be high.
 
genius

genius

#27
#27
Monty_monty said:
I use codfuel.com [https://codfuel.com/fuel/main/Home.aspx], I do my own furnace maintenance and such, so don't need a service contract... but the website does also have a newer section for- hire to do manage this.

And get cash vs credit card pricing, and volume/value pricing. During peak periods I can manage my oil prices, buying on less cold days and less demand equaling lower ppg pricing etc.

I learned how to do maintenance with Google on a 60 year old Becket burner.. eventually replaced it with a Riello 7 years ago [100% tear out and replace]
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I assume when you posted "furnace" that you didn't mean boiler.

A furnace system is simpler than a boiler system. That said great that you do maintenance yourself but that is not the issue. The issue is replacement parts in case something fails. Do you have a full complement of spare parts such that you can replace a failed part? If you have a SO and you are out of town does your SO have the skills needed to troubleshoot and replace parts?

When my boiler failed on Christmas eve I and my SO were out at family events and returned home late to a very cold house. Called Petro, guy was there in less than 2 hours or so and had bad part replaced in less that an hour. He then left to his next call all stinking of fuel oil and I went nice and clean to bed with my SO to, ahem, find a way to keep each other warm until the house warmed back up again.

I had a Riello until I had my whole boiler system replace about 6 years ago. Oil usage went down 20% (in real terms for the same amount of degree days) and I never again ran out of hot water with the indirect tank that replaced the coil in the boiler hot water scheme.

BTW, the Riello burner I had was a high velocity design and every time it turner on it sounded like I had a jet engine in my basement. I assume the newer designs are quieter.

Also, the fire box (whatever it is called where the atomized oil is ignited and burns) and the burner are designed to work together. You do not necessary get any benefit efficiency wise by putting a modern burner into a 60 year old design.
 
B

Big Dick Magee

#28
#28
Cap/Collar w/ tragar was the best deal I got. Cap was lower than Slomans. So I'm btw 3.69 & 3.99 . Used CODfuel . com for a few years and one of their guys for tuneups and a repair. Rate was $130/hr plus parts. Guy wanted $800 to replace an expansion tank, fill valve, and PRV. I got the parts on Amazon fo $200 and since all was threaded took me less than an hour. Also learned how to bleed pipes, changed circulators. That being said, peace of mind for when I'm not home went with a contract.
 
Monty_monty

Monty_monty

#29
#29
genius said:
I assume when you posted "furnace" that you didn't mean boiler.

A furnace system is simpler than a boiler system. That said great that you do maintenance yourself but that is not the issue. The issue is replacement parts in case something fails. Do you have a full complement of spare parts such that you can replace a failed part? If you have a SO and you are out of town does your SO have the skills needed to troubleshoot and replace parts?

When my boiler failed on Christmas eve I and my SO were out at family events and returned home late to a very cold house. Called Petro, guy was there in less than 2 hours or so and had bad part replaced in less that an hour. He then left to his next call all stinking of fuel oil and I went nice and clean to bed with my SO to, ahem, find a way to keep each other warm until the house warmed back up again.

I had a Riello until I had my whole boiler system replace about 6 years ago. Oil usage went down 20% (in real terms for the same amount of degree days) and I never again ran out of hot water with the indirect tank that replaced the coil in the boiler hot water scheme.

BTW, the Riello burner I had was a high velocity design and every time it turner on it sounded like I had a jet engine in my basement. I assume the newer designs are quieter.

Also, the fire box (whatever it is called where the atomized oil is ignited and burns) and the burner are designed to work together. You do not necessary get any benefit efficiency wise by putting a modern burner into a 60 year old design.
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Yes sorry, my mistake on the word usage, full replacement of the furnace. My furnace got red tagged, when it failed and I was unable to fix it turns out the firebox had cracked. Lived with a cold house for a few days, it was unseasonably warm that year.

The sound between the newer Riello and 60+ year old Beckett didn't sound much different to me.

But the efficiency in oil consumption went from about 5 gallons a day to about 3 gallons (with COD fuel delivery) in winter. I calculate my average daily consumption between fill ups. In the spring through fall months I do better just hot water for showers and such
 
O

OrcaHunter

#30
#30
roger4445 said:
I used slomins for the longest time then started to Fuelsnap to shop around and landed on Romeos after deciding that having one less thing to worry about then levels to my tank.
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I use a COD oil company out of Amityville that also offered service contracts ,I think it was 179 this year and then pay COD prices. I have used them for 10 years good service no problems.
 
T

trader1

#31
#31
Has anyone subscribed to ( what I think they are called) Homeserve?

I’ve received solicitations from them with PSEG endorsements offering service contracts on all types of home appliances from furnaces, to Central Air to kitchen wares etc

Covers parts, labor etc

Seems tgtbt
 
MayorSimpleton

MayorSimpleton

#32
#32
trader1 said:
Has anyone subscribed to ( what I think they are called) Homeserve?

I’ve received solicitations from them with PSEG endorsements offering service contracts on all types of home appliances from furnaces, to Central Air to kitchen wares etc

Covers parts, labor etc

Seems tgtbt
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I always assumed they're another piece of shit warranty company. My guess is pseg gets compensated for their endorsement.
Just my guess.
 
trigeek

trigeek

#33
#33
Any one burning wood pellets? Cut my oil bill by 2/3 burning wood pellets. Would luv to convert the hot water over to electric to cut the oil consumption even more.
 
T

TheRicker

Moderator
#34
#34
I've always done the lock in with a ceiling. My company will also give me the per gallon price if it goes lower than my lock in price. Also they throw in the service plan for free.
 
billyS

billyS

Reign of Terror
#35
#35
trigeek said:
Any one burning wood pellets? Cut my oil bill by 2/3 burning wood pellets. Would luv to convert the hot water over to electric to cut the oil consumption even more.
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Where do you burn the wood pellets?
I never heard of this. Are we talking a fire place? I've seen articles that show burning a fire in a fire place actually makes the house colder except right in front of the fire.
 
genius

genius

#36
#36
TheRicker said:
I've always done the lock in with a ceiling. My company will also give me the per gallon price if it goes lower than my lock in price. Also they throw in the service plan for free.
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Nothing is "thrown in for free"

For example when I negotiated for a car one time the sales guy said "the price includes a 0% 4 year car loan"

So I said "I'm paying cash and don't want the free interest offer. What's the cash price?"
So he went to talk to the manger and came back with a number on a little folded piece of paper. I assume the paper was folder so other customers would see the unbelievable price i was getting and want the same great deal. (I guess its SOP that the dealers tear of the corner of a sheet off paper to write the # thus saving the rest of the sheet to tear off for other customers — thus keeping office overhead down to allow for lower car pricing )

The cash price was significantly lower.
 
genius

genius

#37
#37
billyS said:
Where do you burn the wood pellets?
I never heard of this. Are we talking a fire place? I've seen articles that show burning a fire in a fire place actually makes the house colder except right in front of the fire.
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In a wood burning stove. All the rage during the 70's. Its air tight except for the intake so it uses very little air and is vented to the outside.

I was at a friends house who had one. The up side is his heating oil bill was a fraction of mine (but he had to buy the sacks of pellets and carry them home)

The down side was it was in the living room which was roasting hot, had a fan blowing to circulate the heated air to the rest of the house which was cold. He would let it burn out during the night and then in the morning clean out the ashes.

I guess if I wanted to see how it would be to live in the 1800's I'd get one myself. Maybe too I'b get a horse to get around — think of all the $'s of gasoline, insurance, depreciation and car maintenance I would save and I could save the manure to fertilize my garden.

But alas I enjoy just having a timer thermostat that turns down the heat for sleep, warms up in the morning, turns down when everyone is out and warms up for the evening. The fuel magically periodically appears in my oil tank and I get a receipt in my mailbox on how much was delivered and cost.
 
T

trader1

#38
#38
genius said:
Nothing is "thrown in for free"

For example when I negotiated for a car one time the sales guy said "the price includes a 0% 4 year car loan"

So I said "I'm paying cash and don't want the free interest offer. What's the cash price?"
So he went to talk to the manger and came back with a number on a little folded piece of paper. I assume the paper was folder so other customers would see the unbelievable price i was getting and want the same great deal. (I guess its SOP that the dealers tear of the corner of a sheet off paper to write the # thus saving the rest of the sheet to tear off for other customers — thus keeping office overhead down to allow for lower car pricing )

The cash price was significantly lower.
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(Not wanting to take away from the thread…)

Yes- nothing in life is “free”

From an automotive perspective-
Some of the manufacturers will offer additional monetary incentives but they require financing through their respective financing unit

Depending on rates and terms, it could be beneficial to the customer - Sometimes not
 
MayorSimpleton

MayorSimpleton

#39
#39
genius said:
Nothing is "thrown in for free"

For example when I negotiated for a car one time the sales guy said "the price includes a 0% 4 year car loan"

So I said "I'm paying cash and don't want the free interest offer. What's the cash price?"
So he went to talk to the manger and came back with a number on a little folded piece of paper. I assume the paper was folder so other customers would see the unbelievable price i was getting and want the same great deal. (I guess its SOP that the dealers tear of the corner of a sheet off paper to write the # thus saving the rest of the sheet to tear off for other customers — thus keeping office overhead down to allow for lower car pricing )

The cash price was significantly lower.
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Last year a Kia dealer upped the price $2000 when we said we're paying cash. We walked right out.
 
T

trader1

#40
#40
MayorSimpleton said:
Last year a Kia dealer upped the price $2000 when we said we're paying cash. We walked right out.
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Mods-please move or start new post if inclined..

When realistic pricing is presented professionally and with full disclosure, there should be no ambiguity…

“ Mr Simpleton”, the selling price of the Kia is 30,000…. Plus tax and dmv etc…
Kia will offer an additional incentive of $2,000 should you choose to finance … ( see earlier post.. could or could not be beneficial to customer )…
Customer’s choice

What sound like was done in your case, was the salesperson did not fully disclose upfront that the net price required financing—

Sloppy presentation
 
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