Update
#86
Today’s Oilheat. It’s Just Better!
This newsletter brought to you in association
with the National Oilheat Research Alliance
Next-Generation Oilheat
Will Help Clean NYC’s Air
Alternative Fuels Create
Path to Sustainability
New York City officials are looking to reduce air pollution on city streets, and Oilheat dealers are ready
to help with a new, cleaner-burning fuel. The city highlighted its air quality problems in a December
2009 report – just three months after leaders of the Oilheat industry agreed to expedite the delivery
of new environmentally-friendly Oilheat blends in New York and elsewhere.
New York Oilheat customers can anticipate
a bright future that extends beyond
fossil fuels and into renewable liquid fuels
that will be derived from an untold variety
of clean-burning natural sources.
Next-generation Oilheat is the perfect replacement fuel, because it combines the safety,
performance and value of traditional Oilheat with exceptionally low emissions. The new Oilheat will
blend ultra-low sulfur heating oil with
clean-burning biofuels made from
natural products such as soybeans.
The process of expanding the fuel
supply began several years ago with the
introduction of oil/biofuel blends.
Biofuel blending is a triple win for
consumers, because it potentially
eliminates supply concerns while also
limiting dependence on energy imports
and reducing harmful emissions.
New Yorkers won’t be waiting long for
these new blends if Oilheat dealers have
their way. Industry leaders are working
with state and federal regulators to
require use of the new ultra-clean blends
across the U.S. by mid-2011.
DO-It-YOurSelF eNerGY- SAvING tIPS
Customers who want to improve their comfort and reduce their heating and cooling costs can undertake a
few do-it-yourself projects.
A great place to start is with leak identification. Explore your entire home including attics, basements and
crawlspaces, looking for places where outdoor air can infiltrate or conditioned air can be lost. Common leak
sites that you might overlook include:
• Around recessed lights
• Above and below baseboards
• Around plumbing stacks
• Behind electrical outlets
Many leaks can be plugged with caulk. Air leaks through electrical outlets can be eliminated with gaskets
that you can find at most hardware stores. Here are some other simple steps you can take yourself:
• Reduce the temperature on your water heater to 120°.
• Wrap your pipes to guard against heat loss.
• Change or clean the air filter on your furnace or central air conditioning system.
Today’s biofuels are made mostly from
soybeans and recycled cooking oil, but
researchers are experimenting with
grasses and algae to find new, compatible,
sources of high-quality fuel so that the
supply can be extended indefinitely.
The Oilheat industry is overseeing a
gradual transition to biofuel blends
to ensure success. At the moment,
dealers are not required to sell biofuel,
but Massachusetts has enacted a biofuel
mandate that takes effect later this year,
and New York City is considering a similar
measure. The industry envisions universal
adoption of B5 (95% petroleum and 5%
biofuel) within a few years, followed by
a gradual transition to B10 and higher
blends.
One key to this liquid fuel future is
the versatile oil burner, which can
accommodate biofuels that are similar
in composition to heating oil. ASTM
International has already approved
B5 for use in all Oilheat appliances,
so customers can use biofuel blends with
confidence.
#86
Competition Benefits Oilheat Customers
Competition inevitably raises the standards of performance, and the Oilheat industry is no exception. Every New York City Oilheat customer has
a choice of suppliers who want their business, so the companies work extremely hard to foster loyalty and win favorable word of mouth.
The fierce competition among Oilheat dealers produces great results:
• Customer service is excellent because dealers know that satisfaction
is the key to customer loyalty
• Company owners and top managers are often readily accessible to
customers
• Dealers pay attention to what their customers want and
introduce new products and services promptly
• Many customers enjoy personal, friendly relationships with their
oil dealers
• Companies are highly dependable and response time is excellent,
particularly when the customer needs help the most.
In an era when commerce is dominated by large corporations with
millions of customers, it’s great to do business with a small, local company
that works hard to earn your business.
A Service Contract
eliminates Heating Worries
NOrA Pushes Frontiers of Oilheat technology
The future is clean and green for Oilheat customers, thanks to the efforts of the
National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA). The Alliance helps consumers in New York
and across the U.S. with solutions that combat pollution and promote energy conservation.
You have probably have never heard of NORA, but they have been working hard for Oilheat
customers since 2000. Thanks to NORA, we are moving together into a “liquid fuel” future, in which
renewable biofuels are increasingly blended with petroleum to ease dependence on fossil fuel.
NORA has shown how the use of low-sulfur fuel can improve efficiency, reduce maintenance,
and lead to the next generation of highly efficient appliances. A blend of low-sulfur heating oil
and biofuel could become “the preferred fuel for lowering greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.,”
according to the Energy Research Center.
NORA is also helping to raise the efficiency of furnaces and boilers, so that consumers burn
less oil and produce lower emissions. Several important innovations have been popularized
with NORA’s help, including condensing appliances that extract additional heat from the
combustion process and multi-stage burners that adjust the intensity of the oil flame to match
weather conditions, which saves fuel. NORA also supports the development of advanced
electronic controls that promote even heating while reducing fuel consumption.
the Next Green Wave: reduced
reduced Sulfur Heating Oil
Oilheat will achieve a new level of cleanliness in the years ahead if New York dealers achieve
their goals. The industry’s leaders are working to preserve the environment by asking regulators
to mandate the use of ultra-low sulfur heating oil.
It’s not every day that an industry approaches regulators
to request tighter restrictions, but Oilheat dealers
believe it is essential that their fuel be part of the solution
for climate change and air pollution. By eliminating the
sulfur, and by blending in biofuels, they aim to make
Oilheat a great choice for environmentally conscious
customers.
If you don’t ever want to worry about your
home heating, a service contract is for you!
When you have a contract for your boiler or
furnace, your Oilheat dealer provides the
preventive maintenance your system
requires to run reliably and maintain
optimal efficiency. A typical contract
provides a service call between heating
seasons in which an expert technician tunes
and inspects the system and replaces filters
and nozzles, as needed.
A contract also provides the assurance
of emergency service that every New
York home or building should have.
If your heat ever fails, all you have to do is
make one phone call, and your dealer will
handle the rest. Even in the middle of a winter
storm, a technician will come right over and
restore your heat. You may never require an
emergency visit, but if you do, it’s vital that
you have an arrangement in place. Without
a service contract, you might have
trouble finding someone to help,
especially in the middle of the night or on a
holiday – and the consequences could be
drastic, including burst pipes.
Service contracts can also help keep repair
costs to a minimum. Many contracts
cover major system components with a
no-cost repair/replacement guarantee.
Others provide reduced service rates
for service contract customers.
Consult your dealer to find out
what contracts they offer.