may we suggest... OIL VENDORS Selecting an oil company is about "More than just the price of the oil!" If you shop around for every tank of oil, you may save a few pennies, but you are likely to end up with an unreliable company with poor service. If you have never had a home that was heated by oil, here are some helpful suggestions and points: · "Loss of heat almost always happens after business hours." If your home is over 10 years old, you will probably require at least one service call a season. If your system malfunctions, the chances are it will not occur between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. You should therefore make sure your oil company is highly reliable and will be there for you in the middle of the night, if need be. Find out what their average response time is for an emergency service call. Ask if they use an answering service or if their office is staffed 24 hours a day. Call them after 5:00 pm and see who answers the phone. How many service technicians do they have? Since pipes can freeze and burst in literally one cold night, these are important things to consider. · "All oil is not the same." There are different grades of heating oil. An inferior grade is more likely to create sediment in your oil tank, resulting in more frequent service calls. Many good oil companies treat their oil with special oil additives that prevent sediment formation and improve operating efficiency. · "Get a comprehensive service plan". Service plans are usually well worth their cost. Make sure you get a service plan that includes an annual tune-up as well as 24 hour service* coverage for both parts and labor. Be sure the service plan also covers heat-related plumbing items. These items can be very expensive if they are not covered by a service plan. *Make sure you are not going to get an Answering Service, but the actual oil company.