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Posted: September 16, 2024
Throughout the heating season, homeowners in the Delaware Valley usually need anywhere from 700 to 900 gallons of heating oil during a normal winter. As you would expect, average winter temperatures play a big role in how much heating oil we use in our region. States farther north like Maine tend to consume much more fuel during the heating season, while the more temperate Mid-Atlantic states will generally use less.
But why is there such a wide range in average heating oil consumption where we live?
Well, there are many variables that affect fuel usage from one home to another. These include the quality of insulation in your home, the efficiency of your heating system and your family’s own heating preferences. Some households stick to energy-efficient temperature settings, while others prefer room temperatures to be set above the recommended 68 degrees during winter, especially if there are elderly relatives or infants in the household.
In terms of how many gallons of heating oil you can expect to use each day during the cold weather, here are a couple of examples.
If the outdoor temperature averages about 32° over a 24-hour period, a typical 2,500 square foot house will burn about six or seven gallons of heating oil per day. On the other hand, if the average temperature was 40 degrees the next day, you would probably use a shade under 4 gallons during that time.
So, if temperatures are right around the freezing mark and you have a quarter of a tank of oil left in your 275-gallon tank, you’ll have enough oil to last about a week. This is why you should call for your heating oil delivery when your tank gets to the ¼ level, especially during cold weather.
Remember: it’s always better to be conservative and order your heating oil early rather than getting stuck in a no-heat emergency because your tank went empty. The best way to avoid these risks and hassles altogether? Switch to our automatic heating oil delivery service, which frees you from the task of always checking the fuel level in your heating oil storage tank because you’re worried about running out. Thanks to a remote tank monitor, we can keep an eye on your fuel level for you.
Even if you’re a long-time heating oil consumer, it never hurts to review the basics of reading the heating oil tank gauge, especially in preparation for winter.
Filling your heating oil tank before the cold weather sets in means you don’t have to be worrying about it later—when everyone is asking for fill-ups. Try to make it a point to contact us in the early fall to request a delivery—and be sure to ask about the availability of automatic heating oil delivery and remote tank monitors.
We can install a device that wirelessly monitors your heating oil usage so we will always know the actual amount of fuel in your tank. Once we install your monitor, you can download a free app that instantly shows your oil tank level, the fuel being used each day and the next approximate automatic delivery date. You’ll never have to worry about reading your oil tank gauge again.
Wilson Oil & Propane is committed to delivering top quality home heating oil at a consistently fair price to our customers in northern Delaware, southern New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania. We proudly deliver B20 Bioheat Plus® fuel, which is a mix of ultra-low-sulfur heating oil and renewable biodiesel.
As a full-service heating oil company, Wilson Oil and Propane can assure you that you’ll save a lot of headaches — and avoid any delivery issues down the line — when you put your trust in us.
