Winter Guide to Buying Heating Oil

Staying fuelled this winter with heating oil

The words Heating Oil and El Nino don’t usually go together in the same sentence, however this winter (2015) we’ll probably be hearing a lot said about El Nino, and anybody who isn’t on the national grid will be definitely mentioning the words ‘heating oil’ many times over if the Met Office’s weather predictions via Daily Mail are anything to go by.

Now, I’m not attempting to fast track the onset of winter and forget that we’re still in summer, if you can call it that right now, but it’s always better to be prepared rather than caught short; especially when it comes to hot water and a warm home.

As the majority of heating oil usage occurs between the months of October and March, it’s important that your heating oil tank has enough fuel to last. In the great words of Robert H. Schuller:

Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.

Heating oil will be important for the 2015 winter in the UK!

For many homeowners and workers, warmth and hot water comes from gas or electricity-powered equipment. This equipment is fuelled by a steady supply of fuel and won’t ever need re-ordering or topping up, but for heating oil users ordering fuel is a necessity. For those who aren’t sure what heating oil is, please allow me to explain.

What Is Heating Oil?

Heating oil is a fuel used to heat domestic and commercial buildings which use oil-fired heating systems. Oil-fired heating is used in premises where a large amount of fuel is required to heat them including schools and factories.

It is also used to heat domestic properties which aren’t connected to the energy grid. There are several variations of heating oil which are kerosene and premium kerosene.

Heating oil and kerosene both give off a faint smell when burnt whereas premium kerosene and premium heating oil have less odour and burn with a better efficiency to give off a higher heat output.

Other common names for heating oil are:

  • Fuel Oil
  • 28 Seconds
  • C2 Kero

What Is El Nino?

El Nino may sound like a new star signing for a wealthy football club, but it’s actually a weather term which funnily translates to Christ child (Jesus). It develops around Christmas time thus giving this event its name.

In short, El Nino is a warm phase which creates a warm body of water in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. High air pressure from the western Pacific collides with low air pressure from the eastern Pacific and affects the global temperatures and rainfall.

Tips For Buying Heating Oil This Winter

As a nationwide heating oil supplier, Cooke Fuels understand that some winters are worse than others. Our oil tankers rely on safe driving conditions and accessibility. If winter 2015 is a repeat of 2010, then the following tips should help to ensure that you have enough fuel oil for winter.

  1. Buy heating oil early – Buying fuel oil before winter sets in will not only save you money (as prices increase with demand), but it ensures that your delivery can be made without any adverse weather conditions preventing a tanker getting to you.
  2. Theft prevention – Make sure your oil tank is fitted with anti-theft locks and an alarm. Further security can be used to cover you. Check your insurance policy to see if your insurer will cover you. Unfortunately, there are some nasty people around and heating oil thefts do occur. Be alert and vigilant to prevent a loss of oil especially in winter.
  3. Fill your tank – The usage of heating oil in the winter months is greater than the months in summer so you’ll need to order much more to compensate for the higher usage in winter. If you are a regular buyer of fuel oil then you’ll hopefully have a good idea of the difference in usage, but for those of you who are new to buying heating oil, the difference is roughly 50% more. Beware of buying fuel oil in summer – with heat, fuel needs room to expand so don’t fill your tank to its absolute maximum.
  4. Ask your local Citizens Advice centre questions – Ensure you’re getting all the help you can have regarding fuel and costs.
  5. Is your home or building costing you more? – Having a badly insulated property can cost you more in heating bills through heat escaping. Did you know the government have a green deal scheme | Go to the Government website for more details which may help you get an assessment of your property’s energy efficiency.

If you would like to find out more and arrange your own delivery of heating oil, or any other fuels or lubricants. Please get in touch with one of the team by calling us on 01282 775431 or alternatively, fill in the Free Online Quote form on this page and one of the team will call you back.