Have you found yourself running out of heating oil for your home and left running around looking for blankets to keep warm? There are many different approaches to finding short-term solutions in the event you run out of heating oil. You can either wait until the oil company delivers more or you can try other solutions that could save you money and give you and your family the at-home comfort they deserve and are accustomed to. There may even be some short-term solutions that your family enjoys. This will allow you to save some heating oil when you know that your tank is running low, or just to change things up around the house.
Build A Fire
If your heating oil runs out on a very cold night or at the start of a cold weekend, you may want to build your own fire. This could also be a solution if you know that your supplier cannot make it to your residence for whatever reason during this time. Building your own fire in the fireplace or wood stove can keep your home warm and will hold you over until you are able to receive another heating oil delivery. If you do not have a fireplace or a wood stove don’t worry, there are other solutions that could be the right one for you.
Space Heaters
Space heaters can keep selected areas of your home warm. This may not be the ideal way to warm your home or specific areas of your home, but it does provide a short-term solution for your family. It may not even be that bad if it is presented to the family in an exciting manner. Telling the kids that the family is planning a sleepover in the living room may keep their attention away from the rest of the house being cold. Having a family sleepover could even turn into a regular family event.
Diesel Fuel
There is also another option if these are not the solutions for you. If you have a few five-gallon plastic gas cans lying around in the garage, take them to the nearest gas station that sells diesel. Buy ten gallons of diesel fuel and pour that into your home heating oil tank. Diesel fuel is a highly refined form of the same fuel used to heat your home. This is generally a more expensive way to heat your home; however, it will hold you and your family over until your supplier is able to make a delivery.
If you choose to heat your home using diesel, be sure to let your oil company know before they fill the tank again. Your tank may still contain diesel and you may not be able to drain the tank fully yourself from possible sludge and debris. If there is anything left in the bottom of your tank, it may affect the proper operation of the heating system i.e. preventing the system from firing properly. A heating system specialist should be called and this process should be completed professionally.
Better Home Heat Council concentrates on educating consumers about oil heat, especially on topics that concentrate on the economical and efficient use of oil heat. We also help consumers with their energy efficiency issues in their homes and find effective solutions to make their homes more energy efficient. We support local oil companies of Lehigh Valley that provide a range of services and products. Click here to search for a home heating oil supplier in your area. Many of our oil dealers provide energy consultations for their customers.