Heating oil is still revered by many as their favorite way to heat their home. Although the vast majority of systems use electric heat pumps, millions of people rely on heating oil and natural gas to stay warm in the summer. In this post, we want to discuss the differences between electric heat and heat produced by heating oil. 

Both systems achieve the end result which is to heat a space where you live to make it habitable in winter months. Without a heating system, a home would simply be uninhabitable in winter. Temperatures in Lynchburg can often get below freezing and a blanket is simply not enough to fend off the creeping cold. 

Heating systems which use heating oil heat your home faster than electric heat. This is because heat is being generated from a flame vs an electric heating coil. The flame from heating oil burns at about 2,650°F to 2,850°F, which is 400°F hotter than gas flames and even hotter than a heating coil.

For those worried about how heating is for the environment, it should be noted that heating oil is non-toxic. Heating oil is biodegradable and contains no carcinogens. Heating oil is as clean as it has ever been. Upgrades to the distilling and processing have made it much cleaner than years past. 

Heating oil is safe. It does not ignite at room temperature. In fact, heating oil must be heated to 140 degrees and then evaporated before it will light. This is all done in your heating oil furnace. If you dropped a lit match into a puddle of eating oil it would simply extinguish. 

During a mild winter, some folks can get by on less than a tank of heating oil. It burns at a much slower pace than an engine of a vehicle for instance. Heating oil is now even cheaper than it was in 1980.

Tanks are usually kept in the basement or outside the home. Accidents involving these sturdy tanks are very rare. Your heating oil delivery person can do a quick cursory check of your tank when he or she fills it up. The system is solid, safe and secure.

If you are thinking about installing a new heating system, you should at the very least consider what heating oil can do for you. If you are thinking about replacing your heating oil system, perhaps consider what can happen with different kinds of heat. The electric bill can skyrocket. Gas furnaces are much more flammable and a leak can be very dangerous. Heating oil is a calm and steady heating system.

You may’ve heard the term “off road diesel” before and wondered what it is. In this post, we will explain exactly what off road diesel is and how it differs from regular diesel.

Essentially, off road diesel is the same thing as regular diesel but the difference is that it has not been “road taxed”. This diesel is used for construction vehicles, farm vehicles, heating oil boiler fuel and basically anything that doesn’t require it to traverse a public paved road.

The road tax we are talking about is a special tax that is included when you purchase diesel from a gas station for vehicle that is mainly driven on public roads or highways. This fuel is naturally cheaper since it does not include any state or federal taxes.

The fuel is dyed red so that it will not be misused as a way to get around taxes. If authorities catch a person using off road diesel for their every day transportation vehicle there are severe fines. The fine is listed exactly as follows:

“The amount of the civil penalty for any act described in subsection A shall be the greater of $1,000 or ten dollars per gallon of fuel, based on the maximum storage capacity of the storage tank, container or storage tank of the highway vehicle, watercraft or aircraft.” Virginia law code § 58.1-2265

It only makes sense not to add a roads tax to fuel that will not be used on the main roads. It may seem like aa small amount on a gallon by gallon basis, but when you are talking about thousands of gallons it can be a huge amount.

You can find out more about this type of tax here: Virginia Road Tax Fees

The National Fire Code categorizes off-road diesel as a Class II combustible liquid. Any fuel with a flash point lower than 100 degrees Fahrenheit is combustible. The flash point of diesel is normally estimated to be between 126 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, or roughly 160 degrees. It is therefore categorized as a Class II combustible.

You can order off road diesel from us by calling 434-845-0871 or using this page to contact us

If you have never had an oil heater or boiler in your life the entire system may seem very foreign to you. Many people grow up with electric heating and don’t give much thought to oil heat until they buy a house with an existing system or if they are considering what type of heating system to install.

Recently we produced an article describing the benefits of heating oil based systems. There really are good reasons to consider installing heating oil systems. An efficient system can last you 25+ years.

Modern heating oil heating systems are actually very technologically advanced and efficient. Not to mention, the system is safe. For instance, there are many spots in the system which automatically shut down if there is a problem. There are actually valves which automatically close if fire or extreme heat is detected. These valves are not dependent on electricity and do so mechanically.

If you want to get a really good idea of what you are getting with a modern heating system look no further than this wonderfully produced video we fund on YouTube.

It really is a fascinating system and once you get into the world of oil heating you may never choose another alternative.

Do you live in Lynchburg or surrounding areas and need heating oil? Please call us to get a price quote. We are here to work with you.

You may know that HVAC usually refers to a company that handles heat and air conditioning, but do you know what the entire abbreviation stands for? Well it stands for Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning.

The “V” in the HVAC is usually the letter that trips everyone up. But ventilation is an essential part of heating a cooling. Ventilation is the carrying of air throughout the structure using a pump and air ducts. The hot or cold air is carried to the different parts of the house or apartment in an attempt to achieve even temperature throughout. A bad HVAC job will leave certain parts of the home hotter or cooler than others. This is not good.

A heat source or cool air producing unit is usually placed somewhere in the home and ducts are run from that source through the attic or between walls. If a home is large enough there may be two units to accomplish the cooling needs.

Sometimes you will see companies use the abbreviation HVACR. The “R” added to the end stands for refrigeration. These companies usually deal with commercial cooling units.

Sterling Oil specializes in heating and AC. And we deliver the required fuel for those specific types of heating units. We have been in the industry for 37 years, serving Lynchburg city and surrounding areas like Appomattox, Madison Heights, Forest and Alta Vista. We have installed hundreds and hundreds of units and have delivered many thousands of gallons of oil. If you are looking for a provider please feel free to give us a call at 434-845-0971

Off-Road Diesel Delivery

There are two different types of diesel fuel. There is on-road diesel fuel and there is off-read diesel fuel. So what’s the difference? We will take a look in this post.

On-road diesel fuel is for cars and vehicles that typically drive on the paved roads and highways as well as byways. The type of fuel they require can be found at most any commercial gas stations.

Off-road diesel is for vehicles that spend most of their time in dirt. Vehicles like tractors, construction equipment and even generators use off-road diesel fuel.

The reason these two have become separated is simply because of tax laws. The off road diesel is not taxed whereas on road diesel is taxed. The on-road diesel taxes help pay to maintain the very roads which they use. Since off-road vehicles don’t use paved roads, they are exempt from this particular tax.

Dye

The off-road variety has a red dye added to it and is often called red diesel. This helps inspectors hold everyone accountable and make sure no funny business is going on with their operation. Regular on-road diesel is clear and is often referred to as just “clear diesel”.

Essentially they are the same exact product and burn the same way. The red dye is not harmful to your engine and is completely inert.

Delivery

We can deliver your fuel today. We deliver to the Greater Lynchburg area and surrounding counties.
Call today at 434-845-0971 we will be happy to serve you.

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

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