Homeowners with oil furnaces strive to keep their tanks full year-round. This not only ensures you’re ready for any weather, but it also prevents condensation, which leads to rust, from building up inside. Several factors affect how often you need to refill your home heating oil tank. Some are unavoidable, but a few are within your control.

Uncontrollable Factors

It’s only natural that your heater will work harder and use more oil when it’s especially cold outside. If you’ve gone through an unusually cold month or season, your oil levels may deplete faster than usual. The size of your home also affects oil consumption. Larger buildings require more heat to bring each room to a comfortable temperature. While the tank may be commensurately bigger to account for this, if your reservoir is one intended for a smaller building, you may need more frequent refills. No matter what size your tank is, check the gauge on the outside periodically or use a dipstick to avoid an unexpected shortage. 

Controllable Factors

There isn’t much you can do about the size of your home or the weather outside, but you do have control over the temperature settings of your furnace. Habits like turning the thermostat down when you leave the house for the day or vacation help. If you find yourself refilling too often, the home may have drafts causing heat leakage. Installing weatherstripping around doors and windows and insulating the attic may bring your fuel consumption down. Furnace efficiency is another factor contributing to oil use. Older units tend to require more oil than newer, energy-efficient models. Regular maintenance keeps furnaces efficient, too. This means keeping the air filters clean and having the system serviced at least once per year.

If you’re concerned about the cost of home heating oil refill, look to Monroe Oil Company in Rochester, NY, for competitive pricing and convenient service. This fuel delivery company has served the community for more than 75 years and offers friendly reminders when it’s time to refill. You can contact them online or call (585) 244-4080 to learn more.