Written on: March 7, 2022
Here in the Hudson Valley, heating oil has long been the heating fuel of choice for homes.
There are many good reasons for that! Heating oil is the most cost-effective home heating fuel, and it heats your house faster than any other source. Heating oil is also readily available in your home’s tank with dependable heating oil delivery from Kimlin Energy, so you never have to worry about depending on a utility’s aging infrastructure as you do with natural gas heating.
However, there’s another reason why heating oil should be your first option: Safety.
Heating oil is the safest home heating fuel. In spite of the “oil” in its name, heating oil is not an immediate fire hazard. A lit match dropped into heating oil is extinguished. Before it can be vaporized and combusted in your home’s boiler or furnace, heating oil must be heated to at least 140˚ Fahrenheit.
Today’s heating oil tanks are also examples of safety. They’re now constructed with double-wall steel, as well as plastic and fiberglass, to ensure that they are practically leakproof. There are built-in alarms built in that prevent the tank from being overfilled, minimizing the potential for spills and leaks.
But there are still things you need to do to make sure your oil-fired heating system and heating oil tank continue to work safely.
Regular maintenance tune-ups by the trained and experienced professionals at Kimlin Energy include a thorough inspection that lets them find problems before they become hazards.
Inspect your heating oil tank between tune-ups and deliveries of heating oil. If you discover any pools of oil, contact Kimlin Energy right away. Check the tank carefully for indications of impending tank failure, such as blisters on the paint, condensation on the outside of the tank that remains even after a heating oil delivery, and pinhole leaks.
When it comes to carbon monoxide leaks, heating oil has a very minor risk. They can, however, occur especially if your oil-fired heating system is not properly maintained. Contact us PROMPTLY if your boiler or furnace is emitting black smoke or soot. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every level of the house and outside all bedrooms. Test and change the batteries twice a year and replace the detectors every five years.
Get safe and reliable heating oil delivery from Kimlin Energy! Become a customer today.