Winter is coming, but homeowners may see more red this season.
The US Energy Information Administration predicts homeowners will spend 27% more this winter than last year – for now. If it’s still a bit colder, that number can go up to 37%, according to the agency.
That’s hundreds of dollars in potential extra expense, making the quality of oil delivery to homes all the more valuable.
What can you do to save yourself the hassle when a delivery truck arrives at your house?
Be sure to check the truck’s seal or stick with a recent month and year of inspection, says Michael Bannon of Bucks County Consumer Protection.
“You have to make sure you get a ticket, the delivery receipt,” Bannon said. “How much you got, how much you paid per gallon, and the meter and the truck where it came from. That’s how we track it at the end of the day.
If anything seems fishy, you can check with your local county to make sure the truck is registered and recently inspected.
“There is room for fraud and when there is as much money involved as in heating oil – a product that you don’t really see, that’s something you need to be aware of,” said Bannon said.
In Pennsylvania and Delaware, all home heating oil trucks are inspected once a year to ensure the quality of the heating oil. In Bucks County alone, 115 trucks are required to be inspected, with about ten trucks being inspected per day this time of year.
Bucks County weighs and measures each 200-gallon tank before it is sent to homes, Bannon said. If a tank is missing or protruding by approximately one gallon, it fails and must be repaired before making further deliveries.
Bannon estimates that about 4-5% of trucks fail the test.
“It’s about the maintenance and inspection of the truck,” Bannon said. “Unfortunately, there are shady operators out there who can alter the gallon you have…but by far most home heating oil companies get it right.”
Winter is coming, but homeowners may see more red this season.
The US Energy Information Administration predicts homeowners will spend 27% more this winter than last year – for now. If it’s still a bit colder, that number can go up to 37%, according to the agency.
That’s hundreds of dollars in potential extra expense, making the quality of oil delivery to homes all the more valuable.
What can you do to save yourself the hassle when a delivery truck arrives at your house?
Be sure to check the truck’s seal or stick with a recent month and year of inspection, says Michael Bannon of Bucks County Consumer Protection.
“You have to make sure you get a ticket, the delivery receipt,” Bannon said. “How much you got, how much you paid per gallon, and the meter and the truck where it came from. That’s how we track it at the end of the day.
If anything seems fishy, you can check with your local county to make sure the truck is registered and recently inspected.
“There is room for fraud and when there is as much money involved as in heating oil – a product that you don’t really see, that’s something you need to be aware of,” said Bannon said.
In Pennsylvania and Delaware, all home heating oil trucks are inspected once a year to ensure the quality of the heating oil. In Bucks County alone, 115 trucks are required to be inspected, with about ten trucks being inspected per day this time of year.
Bucks County weighs and measures each 200-gallon tank before it is sent to homes, Bannon said. If a tank is missing or protruding by approximately one gallon, it fails and must be repaired before making further deliveries.
Bannon estimates that about 4-5% of trucks fail the test.
“It’s about the maintenance and inspection of the truck,” Bannon said. “Unfortunately, there are shady operators out there who can alter the gallon you have…but by far most home heating oil companies get it right.”