Oil refiners are limited in the amount of heating oil they can make to meet the demands of the winter heating season. Some winter heating oil is produced by refineries in the summer and fall months and stored for winter use. On the other hand, if consumer demand is high for a seasonal product, such as gasoline, refiners may delay producing heating oil for the winter, which may lower inventories at the start of the heating season. More about refineries can be learned in the Special Report.
Home Heating Oil terminology that can save you money
Additives to Fuel
This is a combination of petroleum distillates that keeps the fuel fresher longer. The current heating oil is a lower quality fuel then the fuel from years past and the lower quality creates havoc on your heating system. (the new fuel goes through a cracking process that destabilizes it)
It will also reduce the amount of sludge that builds up in your tank, conditions the fuel to burn better (more efficiently) reduces the chances for the oil to freeze and gel at low temperatures and reduces the corrosion in your oil tank.
PRO : The right combination of petroleum distillates works wonders on the quality of the fuel and the wear and tear on your equipment. Service issues, tank problems, fuel efficiency, gelling and fouling issues are all reduced and almost a thing of the past.
CON: Some people call it snake oil and in many cases they are right. Unless you are using a top grade, certified and tested product (really tested) it's easy to pay a lot of money for essentially nothing but marketing magic. You need to know which ones work and which ones don't. OR you end up wasting your money and putting your entire heating system at risk.