Oil refinery

Heating and cooling are our specialty. We serve Lynchburg Virginia and surrounding areas. A major part of our business is providing heating oil for those households that require this type of fuel source. In this article we would like to share some facts about heating oil which the reader may not already know.

Production

Heating oil comes from the same petroleum used for automobile oil and to make gasoline. The raw (or crude) oil is heated from between 250 to 350 degrees Celsius. The oil that condenses at this temperature is then used as heating oil.

By Any Other Name

Heating oil can be called by any other name but it is always heating oil. Some of these names are:

• Gas Oil
• Paraffin
• Fuel Oil
• Kersosene
• 28 second heating oil

These nomenclatures aren’t always 100% accurate but they get the message across.

Best Time to Buy

Just like with any commodity, the best time to buy heating oil is when the use or demand is low. So, buying heating oil in the summer is when you are most likely to receive the best price and the service will be fast as well. Usually the price tends to be lower in summer months too.

Safety of Heating Oil

We have gone over the safety of heating oil in other articles. But, let us do so again because we cannot stress how safe heating oil actually is.

Heating oil only burns when done so in a special heating oil burning unit. Therefore, having a tank of heating oil in or around your house is very safe.

Supply and Demand

When refining a barrel of oil, a good portion of it results in heating oil. Every drop of each barrel of oil is used for a purpose. About 20% is used for gasoline and the rest is divided up between petrochemical and oil uses. There is plenty of supply to meet the demand of customers.

Save money while heating your home this winter.

The coldest part of winter is right around the corner. The days are shorter and the heat from the sun is overtaken by the cold of empty outer space.

Our coldest days can be brutal. All people want to do (can do) is stay in doors during the extreme cold snaps. We need our indoor temperature to be comfortable. And to accomplish this we run our heating system. The heating system pushes warm air into the room or, in the case of radiators, super heats air molecules already in the room.

Heating your home during December through March can get very expensive. This is why we put together this list of tips to save money on electricity, heating oil, or fire generated heat.

1. The first tip is the most obvious and we probably all already do it automatically. Set you thermostats to lower temp and wear more clothing.
2. Seal your chimney when not in use – Close the flue inside the chimney to keep heat from escaping.
3. Keep vents and radiators clear – This little step can save money over the long haul. Your pump can get air into the room more easily and has to work less hard to do so.
4. Windows – This is where most of your heat is lost. Up to 30% in fact. Make sure you have properly sealed the windows. Open the curtains during the day and allow the sun to heat your rooms. It works like a greenhouse.
5. Use ceiling fans – By setting your ceiling fan on low and having it blow toward the ceiling, the heat is circulated properly and this saves money.
6. Shut doors and close vents – Do this for rooms you are not using often. The spare room, the 2nd bathroom, the storage room; keep all of these doors closed and close the vents.

We hope these tips will help you save some bucks during the coldest months of the year.

Fall is a beautiful time of year for the State of Virginia. Cooler weather, leaves changing and all types of local events makes fall may people’s favorite season of the year.

We have compiled this short list of upcoming events for the month of November for Lynchburg and the surrounding area.

November 7

Acoustic open night -Over in Appomattox, Baines Books & Coffee will be hosting an open mic night featuring acoustic guitars. This is from 7pm – 9 pm. Here is a link to their website

November 9

Over in Forest, there is a Farmer’s Market. The event is kid friendly and is from 8 am to 12 noon.
It is located at the Forest Recreation Center

November 11

Veterans Day Observance – National D-Day Memorial
From 11am to 12 noon come pay your respects to all that died and fought in the D-Day invasion.

November 11

Date and Dance Night Hosted by Dance Lynchburg and the Academy Center of the Arts,.
Dancing and drinks and all are welcomed. This 2 hour event is split into two parts: 45 minutes of instruction and 1:15 of dance.

Please pay at the door:
Couples $25
Single $15
Family $35

November 13

Want to learn how to fly fish? We got you covered.
Fly fishing is part art and part science.
A course on fly fishing will be taught 6:30pm -8pm.
Website

Ages 16+

Questions? Contact Natureoutdoors@lynchburgva.gov