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

In this article we want to share five things you may not know about heating oil. We feel these are important facts regarding heating oil.

1. Heating Oil  is Safe – You have seen all the news stories about explosions caused by a natural gas leak. This is not possible with heating oil. Heating oil doesn’t have a flash point like natural gas. In fact, you could put out a lit match in it.

Secondly, the chances carbon monoxide entering your home undetected from a heating malfunctioning oil burner are extremely low.

2. Environmentally Friendly – Strides have been made in heating oil production over the last 20 years or so. The sulfur content has been reduced by 93% to around 0.5%. This basically means that air pollution caused by heating oil is super low.

3. The Supply of Oil Can Meet Demand – Heating oil is plentiful. Heating oil does not have to be uber-refined like gasoline or kerosene. There is plenty of heating quality petroleum on the planet. By all estimates, our grandchildren and great grandchildren won’t have to deal with heating oil shortages in their lifetime.

4. Heating Oil is Clean – Heating oil does not leave behind the dirty soot that it used to decades ago. Your system will stay very clean with modern heating oil. It is estimated that today’s heating oil is 95% cleaner than it was in the year 1970.

5. Efficient – Heating oil is about 16% more efficient than natural gas. And heating efficiency ratings for newer heating oil appliances range from 83%-95%. These new appliances have an estimated life-span of 30 years. A natural gas furnace has only a 14 year estimated life-span.

So, we hope this article has helped enlighten you on the benefits of using heating oil for heating. Call us today if you have any questions: 434-845-0971

If you are thinking of moving into a home that has a heating-oil system and are worried about it being safe, don’t be. Heating-oil is one of the safest heating fuels there are. In fact, if you were to drop a lit match into the heating-oil it would extinguish just as if you had dropped the match into water.

Energy is extracted from heating oil using a special oil burning surface. This system allows the oil to be burned in exchange for heat energy. And although heating-oil has been in use for many years, it is still one of the cleaner and safer forms of heating sources there are. Continue reading ‘Is Heating Oil Safe?’ »

The air ducts in your home supply the treated air (heated or cooled) to the rooms throughout your house. They are insulated passageways that run in your attic and walls. Like anything else, these ducts have a shelf life.

A duct system that is over 15 years old can start to deteriorate and have inefficiencies. The two major problems you face with an old air duct system are:

1. leaks and holes – The air you are treating is escaping and causing your pump to work harder to reach a certain temperature. You are basically heating the space between your walls and attic and wasting money at the same time.
2. air impurities – The impurities cause by dirty and degraded duct systems are every bit as bad as you can imagine. Not only does your system get affected by dirty particles, but your own body (lungs) get affected.

Repair:

If your ducts are relatively new but you are having problems you may experience the following issues:

1. odd noises – This can be loose or dirty ducts. It is best to call a specialist to look at this.
2. damage – If your system is running all the time and you cannot figure out why there may be a damaged duct. If someone was doing work in the attic and accidentally knocked a hole in your duct-work you are losing money every single day. Get a repair person out there to look at it.

Whether you need an AC repair or replacement , Sterling Oil is here for you. If you are in the Lynchburg area or surrounding areas, we will come to you and fix your problem. HEATING & COOLING 434-845-0971

Sounds bizarre right? Why would anyone buy heating oil in the middle of the summer when it is hot outside? You only buy it when you need it, correct? Not so fast.

There are a couple reasons why yo should buy heating oil in the summer. You know the saying “the early bird gets the worm”? Well, it applies here too.

Availability

Heating oil is a very popular way to heat households. Over 5.7 millions homes use heating oil. Blizzards and ice storms can interrupt the flow of heating oil in the winter time. It is a fact of life. By buying heating oil now, you can ensure that it is taken care of now and avoid the hassle of any shortages that may occur in the winter. Being prepared always makes life easier down the road. Having a full tank of heating oil going into the fall months is an example of excellent preparedness.

Price

Heating oil prices are often at their best in the summertime when demand is low. That is how the free market economy works. As demand rises, so do the prices. You can actually save a few bucks by getting the tank filled during the “off-season”.

You can call our office at any time to discuss the current price of heating oil. We are here for your heating and cooling needs.

The newer generation of thermostats allow the user to program them far in advance. Many of them can even be connected to an app on your phone. You can program the thermostat to cool (or heat) the house only when you are expected to be there.  Let’s say you keep your house at 75 degrees in summer. You can program the thermostat to allow it to raise the temperature to 82 degrees between 9:30 am -4:30 pm and then start cooling again before you are expected home at 5:00 pm. This same logic can apply to heating the home in winter.

On weekends, a person can program the thermostat to always stay on. The person can also plan for Holidays when they know they will be home all day or away for the weekend. Studies have found this type of energy savings will save you 10% on your heating & cooling bill. That is basically like saying you get a month or so of free cooling or heating.

A brand new digital thermostat can cost as little as $20 on Amazon. The better ones complete with app management may run a bit more but are well worth it in the long run.

We have all read the temperature suggestions from various sources over the years. Many of them recommend 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer. I have found that rarely do people’s personal preference actually match up to those numbers. The best advice is to keep the temperature whatever you like but make sure the heating and cooling devices get a rest while you are away. After all, saving money is the ultimate incentive for any family.

If you are worried about waiting around for the heating oil that you need and risk being cold, don’t be. With the right heating oil company, you can be sure that you’re able to get the hot air that is needed without having to wait for long periods of time for it to be delivered to your home.

Work with a company that has a large fleet of trucks that can come and go. When this happens, you obtain the heating oil that you need without having to worry about waiting. They can send one of the many trucks out to provide you with the heating oil on a short notice. Continue reading ‘Get Warm Again with the Fast Fleet of Heating Oil Trucks’ »

Heating oil is a type of oil that can be used to heat up the inside of a home. It does not matter the size of the home; the right size system can dispense heat throughout it. This is an efficient way for many home to obtain the heat that they need throughout the winter months.

Currently, around 6 million households throughout the United States choose and use heating oil for their heating needs. Some of these homes also heat their water with the same heating oil, though they do it in smaller amounts than what you would find with traditional water heaters.

Why Use Heating Oil?

Many households choose to use heating oil because it is much more efficient than the other types of heating that are out there. They provide a more efficient flow of hot air throughout the home, allowing it to be more comfortable overall. When you use this type of heating you also save more money on your energy bills due to the increase in efficiency. Continue reading ‘What is Heating Oil and Why Use it?’ »

According to statistics, around 6 million households in the United States currently use heating oil as their main heating fuel source. Some of these households also use heating oil to warm up their water. This is done in much smaller batches than what you would find with other sources of heat for a water heater. Commercial and industrial buildings are also known to use heating oil for many things.

Benefits of Using Heating Oil

There are many benefits that come from using this heating source. If you currently use it, or you’re thinking of making the switch to it then it is important to think about the many benefits that come with this type of heating source.

1. It is one of the most popular choices to go with when it comes to heating your home, making it a great product to get anywhere that you live.
2. It is much safer to use than many of the other heating sources out there. It can only work within a specific burner and it will not explode.
3. It is more effective at heating a home, making the home much more warm and comfortable for those living within it. This is a plus during those really cold nights.
4. It is more cost effective. The system does not have to work as hard to put heat throughout the home. This benefits everyone.
5. It is better for the environment. Since it is so effective at heating homes, this is one of the best sources of heat that doesn’t put too many emissions into the atmosphere.

Whatever the reason is for switching, this can be an ideal switch for you to make. You do not have to worry about not being able to get the heat that is needed since you’re using an efficient heating source that is getting the job done and making everyone comfortable in the end.

A local heating oil company can come out and provide the system, as well as the oil to your home. This provides you with a way to keep the system running, but not having to do any of the maintenance or filling of the oil system on your own.

Contact a local heating oil company to find out how they’re able to help you make the switch. You may be surprised to find all of the cost savings, as well as efficient benefits that come with the system when you do!