Company

Frequently Asked Questions

Is oil safe?
Yes. Heating oil is one of the safest fuels ever developed. Oil produces low emissions, is biodegradable, and it won't burn in a liquid state. If a lit match were dropped into a container of heating oil, the oil would extinguish the flame, just like water does! To be ignited, oil must be vaporized. This only occurs under pressure at 140°F.

Properly set and maintained oil burners produce very low, safe levels of carbon monoxide as a normal part of the combustion process. And if there is ever a malfunction in your heating system, there's little or no need to worry about an explosion or the release of carbon monoxide into your home.

Do you deliver to my area?
Click here and enter your zip code to find out if you live in our delivery and service area.

Why have prices jumped so rapidly?

Supply, demand, and speculation. Rapidly growing economies, like China and India are having a dramatic impact on worldwide demand for oil, while unknown winter temperatures make it hard to predict winter demand for oil.

Similar worldwide and regional factors affect the supply side. Circumstances in major oil-producing regions affect global supply. Here, in the U.S., if we experience a mild winter, fuel inventories (fuel that is ready to be delivered for consumption) build up, and prices typically decrease. Conversely, colder-than-expected temperatures cause prices to increase as inventories decrease.

How long will these high prices last?
We wish we knew. We strongly recommend that customers do their best to conserve energy and adjust their household budgets in anticipation that higher fuel prices will persist through the winter. If you are not currently on our Custom Monthly Payment (CMP) program, please call to see if this is an option for you. CMP spreads your fuel cost into lower and equal monthly payments, and enrollment is free.

Can I save money by changing heating oil companies?
Probably not. All companies are experiencing these same price increases. Selecting a fuel company based on price alone rarely produces the saving you expect, and could put your home and family at risk. For the best value, look at more than just cost per gallon. In addition to competitive prices, Tevis Energy's lower-sulfur heating oil provides better fuel efficiency and longer burner life than standard heating oil. With Tevis, you can expect to use up to 10% less oil, depending on the condition of your heating system.*

At today's prices, that is a savings that can make a real difference in your heating costs. And because Tevis is a full service fuel company, you can count on us for a consistent supply of high-quality fuel and reliable service.

To get the best fuel efficiency, be sure to have your burner tuned up each year. Click here for more info about tune-ups.

Should I use a lower quality oil while prices are high?
No. When oil prices increase, quality becomes even more important! Tevis’ fortified, lower-sulfur heating oil is competitively priced, provides better fuel efficiency, and helps prolong the life of your furnace or boiler. Don’t sacrifice your heating equipment for a few pennies per gallon. Tevis does not charge more for the premium, lower-sulfur oil that we deliver.

How can I be sure I’m getting the best performance from my heating equipment?
In addition to Tevis’ lower-sulfur heating oil, we always recommend that you have your heating system tuned up before the heating season begins. Adding programmable thermostats and upgrading older equipment can also increase fuel efficiency by up to 30%. For more information, call Modern Comfort Systems today at 410-848-2200 or 410-876-1022. Click here for more info about tune-ups.

Do I need to be home to get oil delivered?
No. Unless your account is set up for cash on delivery, we can deliver fuel anytime without anyone being home. If you have pets, please ensure their safety and the safety of our delivery personnel by properly securing all pets.

Will you deliver more oil if I’m on automatic delivery?
No. We schedule deliveries when our computerized delivery system projects that your tank is between 1/3 and 1/2 full. Smaller, more frequent deliveries are inefficient and would drive fuel prices up unnecessarily. We do everything we can to keep our fuel prices as low as possible!

How do you know when it's time to deliver oil to my home?
We count "degree days" to calculate how cold it has been. The average temperature on a given day is measured in degree-days. The colder it is, the more degree-days there are. The number of heating degree days for one day is roughly equal to 65° minus the average temperature on that day.

What is your No "Run-Out" Guarantee?
We're so confident in our ability to make timely automatic deliveries that we guarantee that you will not run out of oil. If you run out of oil because we failed to properly schedule your delivery, we will give you $50 worth of oil for free!

When there are severe winter storms how do you plan fuel deliveries?
Our delivery team keeps a close watch on weather forecasts to anticipate extreme weather, especially snow and ice storms. By using our sophisticated delivery projection system, we know when you will need delivery and make adjustments to your delivery cycle based on weather forecasts. We also do our best to deliver to customers with difficult driveways before storms make driveways impassable.

What can I do to help my delivery person when we have bad weather?

Before snow covers the ground, place a stake with a colored grocery bag or ribbon on it to mark the location of your oil tank fill.
In times of very deep snow, uncover the fill pipe. Your delivery person would also appreciate it if you clear a path to your full pipe.
If you have a long driveway, remember that a delivery truck is much wider than a car. When plowing your driveway, have it plowed wide enough for the delivery truck.

I've noticed some oil on the floor under my tank. Do I need a new tank?
Possibly, but not necessarily. You may just have a loose fitting or a leak in the oil line. If your tank has rust along its bottom or is showing any signs of “weepage” (which may appear as an oily stain on the tank) call us immediately to schedule an estimate for tank replacement. Do not try to remove rust from the bottom of your oil tank!

I supplement my oil heat with a wood stove (or other type of fuel). Will that affect my automatic deliveries?
All sources of heat should be reflected in our delivery projections for your home. Please call us if you begin or stop using a supplemental heat source.