Stores across the country seem to be preparing for the Christmas holiday earlier every year. In fact I saw Christmas trees replacing pumpkins at a local grocery store on Halloween day! Despite the stores each trying to get a jump on bringing in holiday shoppers, the city of Lynchburg thankfully waits until after Thanksgiving to begin its month long celebration. This year Downtown has a bunch of great activities for you and your family to enjoy.

The festivities begin December 3^rd at 5pm with Yuletide Square. It is an open house event in Downtown with fifteen businesses participating. The trolley will be running for the length of the event, until 9pm, to help shoppers make it to all the participating shops and restaurants. This year’s Yuletide Square is being sponsored by The Clutch Guide and 93.7 KHF. Continue reading ‘Holiday Season Lynchburg Virginia 2013’ »

One of the easiest way to cut the cost of heating your home is to keep your heating system in tip top shape. This can be done by having your system serviced annually and keeping up on changing filters when needed on your own. Unfortunately there will come a time when your heating system needs to be replaced entirely. While this may be a big cost to you upfront, it will save you money over time as furnaces and boilers have continue to become more and more energy efficient. Furnace Replacement may be your only option.

There are many signs that it might be time to replace your old heating system. Age may be the first indication that you are in need of new equipment. Furnaces generally have a shelf life of 25 years and boilers may last up to 50 years. If your system is approaching these ages it will be time to upgrade sooner than later. Other indications that your heating system might be on its way out includes frequent calls for repairs or an unexplained increase in your energy bills. These are signs that your furnace or boiler are not as working as efficiently as they could or should be. Other less obvious signs include noisy equipment, rooms that may be too hot or too cold, a home that is too dry in wintertime, and/or excessive dust that can be distributed by leaky ducts.

Even if your system is not quite on its last leg yet, you may still want to consider replacing your existing system. Depending on when your system was built, it will score various ratings on the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) chart. Systems installed prior to 1970 will generally score a 65% or lower. This percentage number tells you how much fuel is actually being converted into heat, and a 65% means only that amount out of 100% is actually used to heat your home, the rest is turned into exhaust and is ultimately wasted. The highest efficiency equipment you can purchase on the market today has over a 96% rating, this is over 30% less fuel waste! You would see savings immediately if you switch from one of the older systems. Find out where your heating equipment stands in the ratings on the Department of Energy website.

Whether the time is right to replace your heating system put of necessity or if you are just weighing the pros and cons of simply updating your working but inefficient equipment, you will see significant cost savings immediately. So now might be the time to take the plunge, especially before the real winter weather sets in!

At Sterling Oil Company we offer a number of different petroleum products such as kerosene, fuel oil, and various levels of gasoline. You hear of these products quite often in daily life but do you really know what they are? Here is a quick look at each of the petroleum types carried by Sterling Oil.

Probably the most commonly known petroleum product is home heating oil otherwise known as #2 Fuel Oil. The number ‘2’ is actually a class of oil rated by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) classification system. It is delivered in a low viscosity liquid (meaning it is not too thick) state and is used widely throughout the United States at just under 7 million households.

Sterling Oil also carries ‘Low Sulfur (LS)’, a cleaner alternative to #2 Fuel Oil. LS is marketed as such because its sulfur content, is at the most, 15 parts per million.  To obtain this lower sulfur standard additional steps are taken during the refining process. It is a big step in the effort to lower emissions and become more environmentally friendly.

Kerosene is probably one of the more versatile petroleum products but is generally associated with lighting (such as kerosene lamps), cooking, and heating. Did you know it is also used as jet fuel and as an ingredient in insecticides? Like #2 Fuel Oil, kerosene has a low viscosity and is derived through the distilling of petroleum. It was the first to be extracted for large commercial purposes in the mid 1800’s.

In addition to all the products above, we also carry three grades of gasoline – regular, midgrade, and premium. The difference in the grade is based on the octane rating of the three. The higher the octane content, the higher the grade. Gasoline with a higher rating is less likely to self-ignite and will burn more evenly. When you are at the gas pump, the gasoline rating of 87, 89, or 91 (sometimes 93) correlates to their level of octane.

Various fuels have been distilled from petroleum for over 2000 years, first discovered by Arabian scientists. Petroleum products are, in short, very complex mixtures. In fact, there are many products we come across in our everyday lives that we do not realize are derived from petroleum, such as linoleum, perfumes, soap, and even vitamin capsules. Sterling Oil is proud of the petroleum products we carry and are proud to be serving the beautiful city of Lynchburg.

With the fall season in full swing and the big box stores already stocking their shelves with holiday decorations, it’s time to start thinking about and preparing for winter. One of the biggest concerns facing families each and every year is the cost of heating their homes during these cold months. Here are some good tips and tricks that can help to lower your heating bill this winter.

You don’t need to wait for the cold weather to arrive to prep your home and perform maintenance on your heating system. An easy step to prevent both heat loss in the winter and air conditioning in the summer is to ensure any and all gaps in doors and door frames are sealed. Also taking the time to re-caulk the drafty areas around your windows will prevent air from escaping. Take a walk around your home, paying attention to furniture that may be blocking radiators. This could prevent heat from circulating around the room when needed so you may want to consider rearranging your furniture. If it has been awhile, you might also want to get your heating system checked to make sure everything is in tip top shape and ready to tackle the marathon that is winter heating.

Once the cold does arrive, keep shades and curtains open during the day to maximize the sunlight flow into your house, this will help to naturally warm your home. Close them both once the sun has set to prevent heat loss. Keep you kitchen vents, closest doors, and fireplace dampers closed to also prevent warm air from escaping. In addition, turn down your thermostat a degree or two while you are out or sleeping and turn the water heater temperature down to 115-120 degrees ensuring you will use less energy without really noticing a difference.

Finally, there are bigger steps you can take that might cost a little up front but will pay off in the long run. Installing a programmable thermostat will lower fuel costs over the course of a year and will also prevent you from having to constantly regulate the temperature manually. If you have them, lowering storm windows will keep air from escaping and if you don’t have them it might be an investment you want to make.

Don’t fret over the winter cold this year. With these tips you shouldn’t have to anguish over your home heating bill, instead enjoy the winter weather! As Ben Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Our Very Own Inducted into Worldwide Who’s Who – Mrs. Beeler Hensley’s family business, Sterling Oil, is celebrating its 30th year of business

Donna Beeler Hensley Inducted into Worldwide Who’s Who for Excellence in Business Management

H.Wayne Beeler started the business Sterling Oil Company, Inc in 1983

Our Company is a Family Owned Business and We take Great Pride in giving Fast and Dependable Service to Our Valued Customers here in the Greater Lynchburg Area and Surrounding Counties.

Our Company also has a Service Department We Install a Full Line of Heating and Cooling Equipment which included Heatpumps as well.

So Give Our Company a call at 434-845-0971 and we will be Happy to Serve You

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Heating Oil is also a clean heat that creates no soot, dirt or odors in a properly maintained system. Heating oil has little negative impact on the environment and for every gallon of oil burned, 140,000 BTUs of heat are generated.

Heating oil is a clean, reliable and efficient way for homeowners to keep warm and comfortable all year long.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a K-Factor?

A K-factor reflects your individual rate of usage based on how cold it is. K-factor is determined by dividing the number of degree days by gallons delivered. The higher the K-factor the more efficient your heating system. This is similar to tracking your car’s miles per gallon.

What is a Degree Day?

Degree Days are a unit for estimating the demand for energy required for heating and cooling. Starting from the standard US indoor temperature of 65 degrees, a heating or cooling degree day is recorded every 1° decrease or increase from this standard.

What does Degree Day monitoring mean to me?

Think of it like the MPG (miles per gallon) calculations used for your car. Like MPG, Degree Day monitoring helps determine a particular rate of usage. Our Company tracks the number of accumulating degree days throughout the season and uses this formula based on your usage to determine when you will need another delivery.

Why are annual equipment tune-ups so important?

Annual tune-ups on your heating system will reduce the chance of breakdowns, keep your system running at peak efficiency and will save you money on your fuel bill.