Heating Oil: When Is the Best Time To Buy?

If your home heating system uses heating oil, you know how annoying it can be to “buy high” during a winter spike. The good news is that more often than not, you can avoid that problem with a little planning.

Offseason: the best time to buy your fuel

The dog days of August might seem like the worst time to be thinking about heating oil, but if you’re tired of paying more than you should to heat your Hudson Valley home, ordering fuel in the offseason might be the key to saving you money throughout the year.

Although no one can reliably predict heating oil prices (since they are subject to a number of factors that can change quickly, such as the price of crude oil, the global political climate, and the weather), filling your tank during the off-season will almost always get more for heating bang for your buck. Peak heating oil season typically occurs between late September and April, which is typically when prices are highest.

Prevent oil tank problems, too

Cheaper oil isn’t the only benefit to ordering fuel in the offseason: by keeping your tank full, you could also help you avoid costly heating repairs down the road. When your oil storage tank contains more air then fuel, it pulls moisture from the trapped air inside the tank, forming condensation on the tank’s walls. A damp tank is the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms that create line-clogging sludge and corrode the tank over time.  In a full tank, there’s less chance of condensation forming in the first place; this improves your tank’s overall lifespan and saves you from hundreds of dollars of repairs.

The bottom line: while no one can accurately predict heating oil prices, buying heating oil in the off-season almost always gives you the best chance at winning the oil pricing game. To save money in the year ahead, contact us today to schedule a heating oil delivery in Dutchess, Columbia, Orange, Sullivan, Delaware, Greene, and Ulster counties, NY!