Frequently Asked Questions

Heating

• I’ve seen prices that are lower than yours. Why is that?

There are always going to be companies that charge more or less than we do (we tend to be right in the middle). It’s important to compare apples to apples. First, are they a full–service dealer, or just one that makes deliveries, leaving you to fend for yourself if your equipment breaks down or they can’t secure more oil? Second, are they telling you their regular price, or a special come-on rate? This is a game many oil companies around here play—especially the huge ones. You think you are going to lower your bills permanently, only to discover that your price is jacked up really high as soon as the offer ends.

In the meantime, when it’s cold and the company is busy, who are they likely to serve first? Customers who are paying the regular rate, or a new one who’s paying a lot less? And how flexible do you think they’d be if you needed more time to pay your bills because of a temporary problem?

Often, these same companies find other ways to skimp that can cost you big time—like not doing the annual tune-up included in their service plan; not offering true night and weekend service; and not keeping enough service technicians to get to you quickly if you have no heat.

We guarantee our daily price is competitively priced compared with the full–service dealers in our area. And customers tell us that our superior service saves them money, reduces their aggravation and gives them real peace of mind.

If you want to buy all of your oil before the heating season, we still do offer a pre-buy option. This choice allows you to buy all of your fuel at the daily market price with a single payment.

• How do you figure my monthly payments?

To calculate your monthly budget payments, we use your fuel delivery record from last year to estimate the number of gallons you will LIKELY use during the next heating season. We multiply the number of gallons by an estimated price per gallon. This amount is then spread out into equal monthly payments.

• When do I need to sign up for a price cap?

Enrollment is open at any time throughout the year

• Why do you have an early termination fee?

We’re forced to do this because of our lawyers. To give you price protection, we have to buy the oil ahead of time and we’re on the hook for that. So we need you to honor your commitment. But if you don’t like that, you can choose our regular daily rate.

• So, do I really need price protection at all?

That’s a good question. Many of our customers have actually done better just staying on our market price, which has no additional costs, and the greatest flexibility. While there’s no cap, there’s also no fee, and your price is guaranteed to go down when oil prices drop. Whatever you do, it’s almost always easier to spread out your bills with our monthly payment program.

The fact is, some companies don’t actually buy the options they need to really lower their price. They say they’ll drop it, but it’s really fixed. Some of them don’t even really buy the oil to protect you from price increases. They just hope for the best. And that’s why over the past few years, there have been companies that defaulted on their price protection programs. We have never defaulted on our programs. We do it the right way so you can have real peace of mind.

• Am I guaranteed to save money on your price protection program?

There are no guarantees when it comes to fuel prices, but our price protection programs provide more certainty about what you’ll pay for your fuel.

• I’ve seen other companies that aren’t charging for a cap. Why is that?

If a company isn’t charging for a cap, it is highly unlikely that it is offering true price protection — coverage ensuring that prices will not go above a stated maximum price no matter what happens and, if they are offering downside protection, the ability to adjust your price downward if prices should fall.

• Are all fuel company price protection plans similar?

There are really only two kinds of price protection: those that fix your price and those that set a ceiling on the price you must pay. But there are a variety of ways that companies back up their offers. Some companies actually buy fuel ahead of time, while others buy a type of price insurance from their suppliers. There is no regulation about how much fuel a company must buy to back up its price protection. When you choose to buy price protection, you are making a bet not just on what will happen to prices, but on the professionalism of your fuel company.

Many fly–by–night companies have actually shut their doors and gone bankrupt with their customers’ money after offering some very attractive pre-buy rates. So have some long–standing companies. So, who you protect your oil price with is probably even more important than what program or price you choose.

• What is downside protection?

Since a price cap program protects you from falling prices, we have to purchase options that allow us to “sell back” fuel to the supplier at the higher rate, and then buy more fuel at the new, lower rate. This downside protection allows us to lower our prices when market rates fall.

• Can you tell me which is more likely to happen?

As much as we wish we could predict how prices will move, when it will happen and by how much, it’s impossible. You should look at your personal situation, realize that there is no one pricing program that always works best, and decide which approach makes you most comfortable. No matter which choice you make, however, you can count on us to deliver what you’ve asked for and back up our programs the right way.

• Which way will prices go?

That’s anyone’s guess. As we have seen, energy prices tend to swing in cycles. There are so many factors that affect the price of oil or propane that guessing whether and when prices will go up or down is impossible.

• Why has the cost of a price cap increased?

In the past, there was much less volatility in the oil markets and the cost of a price cap program was quite low. That’s why we offered it to our customers at no cost. Now that the energy markets have become so unpredictable and the likelihood of falling prices has become so much greater, the cost of price cap “insurance” has risen. It’s similar to flood insurance. If you live in a flood-prone area, your insurance premiums are a lot more than if you lived on high ground far from rivers and streams. Right now, we live in a time with a very volatile energy market.

• Why is there a fee for the price cap?

As you might expect, our suppliers charge us a premium for offering the “insurance” that allows us to keep your price from skyrocketing while at the same time gives us the flexibility of lowering your price should market prices fall. While we can absorb some of the cost, we must pass some of it along in the form of a fee to those customers who choose this option. The cost of this has gone up substantially as the market has gotten more volatile. We do not make any money on this fee — and we also don’t cut corners the way some companies do. We protect your oil the right way. Click here to learn more about price caps.

• What’s the difference between a fixed price program and price cap protection?

A fixed price program means that your price is fixed at one set price throughout the heating season. No matter how high world oil prices go, your price can’t skyrocket. Similarly, with a price cap, you are protected against price surges. Your rate cannot go higher than the “ceiling.” But the difference is that with a cap, if the market price falls, your price drops too. Any time our daily rate is lower than the cap ceiling, you pay the lower amount.

• What are you recommending to your customers this year?

Rather than recommend what to do, we feel it is more responsible to provide you with as much information as we can to help you make an informed decision. What you decide really depends on your personal situation and which option makes you feel most comfortable. There’s no one type of program that always works out the best. Many people like the cap because it gives them a feeling of certainty. But it’s not guaranteed to save you money. No matter which option you choose, our monthly payment plan makes paying for your fuel manageable by spreading your payments out over 10 or 12 months.

• Can my monthly payment amount change?

Yes, we may need to make adjustments to your monthly payment amount based on the weather and the oil market. If you have a cap, your price cannot rise above your cap price, so you would be protected from a drastic increase. If prices fall and stay lower, your monthly payment would be adjusted downward. If you are paying the daily market price, your monthly payment could theoretically increase or decrease. (GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF WE DO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT AMOUNT, THAT ADJUSTMENT WOULD TEND TO BE A MODEST ONE.)

Water Heaters

• What can I do to maintain my water heater?

You’ll get longer life from your water heater and prevent breakdowns if you follow these simple guidelines:

• Every three months, drain a gallon of water from the tank. Do it every month if you have hard water. This reduces the amount of sediment collecting in the bottom of the tank, which can make the burner or heating coils work harder.
• Every year have your water heater inspected by a service technician to keep it in peak operating condition.

Heating oil produces the hottest flame of any home heating fuel. This means an oil-fired water heater heats water fast. How fast? On average, oil-fired units heat water three times faster than gas heaters and five times faster than electric units.

In an indirect-fired water heating system, the domestic water is heated by hot water from the boiler. A typical design is a water tank with coiled pipes inside. These coiled pipes connect to your boiler. Hot water from the boiler passes through the coil, which heats up the domestic water surrounding it.

Replace or Repair

If you’re like many people, the frustration of an equipment breakdown can make it tempting to solve the problem with a quick fix that doesn’t cost you a lot of money. That way you can get on with your busy life in relative comfort. BUT, while a quick fix may be the least expensive solution in the short run, it may not give you the most value in the long run.

It’s a fact of life: Older systems are more likely to break down. That means a bigger chance of emergency service calls and repairs—and paying for them. Worse, a breakdown could mean extensive damage to your home. (No heat on a cold winter day can allow your pipes to freeze.)

There’s also an ongoing cost factor. Repairing an old system can only restore it to something less than its original level of efficiency. After you’ve recovered from the repair bill and the frustration of a system breakdown, you’ll still be battling high energy bills. What’s more, even a system that doesn’t break down loses efficiency as it ages. A 15-year-old system doesn’t operate anywhere near the efficiency it had when it was new!

Plus, when compared with modern, technologically advanced equipment, 15-year-old heating and cooling systems are considered inefficient by today’s standards. The average homeowner can save up to 40% on heating and cooling costs with new high-efficiency equipment.

Here are some rules of thumb to help you decide whether to replace or repair.

Replace your system if:

• it is more than 10 years old and only in average condition.
• it does not keep you as comfortable as you would like.
• it breaks down frequently.
• it is burning too much fuel.
• you will be living in your home for at least five more years.

Repair your system if:

• it is less than 10 years old and in good condition.
• your heating and cooling costs have been acceptable.
• you’re pleased with your level of comfort.
• its performance is reliable.
• you will be moving within the next five years.
• it is still under warranty.

Tanks

• Where should I put my new aboveground tank?

Because heating oil is biodegradable and safe to store inside the home, you can put your new leak-proof tank in a basement, closet or garage. You can also put it outside, near your house or garage or anywhere in your yard.

• What options do I have for testing my underground tank?

There are several test methods used today. Computerized sonic or ultrasound methods are gaining popularity because they don’t put stress on the tank. Pressure or vacuum tests are reliable, but they can put stress on the tank; if improperly performed, they can also cause leaks. Another method is to test the soil around the tank. Soil borings are noninvasive and, in our area, tend to be less expensive than other test methods.

• Are underground tanks subject to federal regulations?

No. At this time there are no federal laws governing active, underground, residential storage tanks for heating oil.

Air Conditioning

• Why does it cost so much to run an air conditioning system?

Air conditioners run on electricity, and electricity is the most expensive energy source. Converting fuels like coal or natural gas into electricity is inherently inefficient. What’s more, much of the original electricity generated at the power plant is lost during transmission over power lines. So, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, by the time it reaches your home, electricity is only 33% efficient on average.

• I heard that the refrigerant used for older central air conditioning systems is being phased out. Why is that?

Cooling systems that use environmentally friendly refrigerants (R-410A) are gradually replacing old systems that use R-22 refrigerant, which was phased out in 2020 because of concerns about the ozone layer. Because R-22 is no longer produced, repairing air conditioners that use this old refrigerant has become very expensive. Years of commercial use and testing have proven that newer R-410A refrigerants are superior in performance and energy efficiency. Contact us if you want to know more about your options for new central air systems.

• My home is heated with a boiler so there is no ductwork. Is there an affordable way I can get central air conditioning?

Absolutely! Just because your older home doesn’t have ductwork doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the cool comfort of central air conditioning. We’ve been helping many customers keep their cool by installing systems that use flexible “mini-ducts” to deliver cool air.

These mini-ducts, or tubing, are small enough to be fed through existing walls, ceilings, floors and wall cavities where conventional ductwork would never fit. The outlets that deliver the cooled air are barely noticeable and blend in with the décor. The indoor air handler that connects to the ducts can be installed in an attic or crawl space.

Installing this type of air conditioning costs a little more than a standard central air system but much less than the cost of installing ductwork and a central air conditioner.

• My home has a forced-air furnace but no air conditioning. Can I add central air?

You bet! We can mount a cooling coil on top of the furnace and install a condensing unit outside. For a no-obligation evaluation, click here.

• Is it OK to “mix and match” air conditioning components of different efficiencies? Just because my compressor is on its way out, does it mean I have to replace my indoor unit as well?

We strongly recommend that you replace both the indoor and outdoor unit. If you have a 6-SEER or 8-SEER cooling system, it is not economically practical to replace only the outdoor condensing unit. Your low-SEER indoor unit won’t be compatible with the higher efficiency of the outdoor condenser models now being installed.

If you don’t replace both indoor and outdoor units, your cooling system could be as much as 15% less efficient than promised—and you won’t get the payback on your investment that you had expected.

What’s more, when the indoor and outdoor components can’t function as a “team,” you sacrifice comfort. Your system may still work, but it won’t perform as well as well as it should. Even worse, a mismatch between a new outdoor unit and an old indoor unit often creates stress on a cooling system. The result can be premature equipment failure.

At Clyde S. Walton, we have the expertise to help you choose a central air system with the right efficiency level, i.e., the right SEER, for your home. For a no-obligation evaluation, click here.

• What does SEER stand for?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It is used to indicate the efficiency of air conditioning systems. The higher the SEER , the more cooling you get per unit of energy. As of today, only units with a SEER of 13 or higher can be sold in the United States. Today’s cooling units are up to 40% more efficient than those made as recently as 10 years ago.

Indoor Air Quality

• What is meant by indoor air quality?

Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the impact, good or bad, of the contents of the air inside a structure on its occupants. Good IAQ is the quality of air which has no unwanted gases or particles in it at concentrations which will adversely affect someone. Poor IAQ occurs when gases or particles are present at an excessive concentration so as to affect the satisfaction or health of occupants. It is important to note that the concentration of the contaminant or contaminants is crucial. Potentially infectious, toxic, allergenic or irritating substances are always present in the air. There is nearly always a threshold level below which no effect occurs.

• What types of pollutants are involved?

Air quality is affected by the presence of various types of contaminants in the air. Some are in the form of gases. These would be generally classified as toxic chemicals. The types of interest are combustion products (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide), volatile organic compounds (formaldehyde, solvents, perfumes and fragrances, etc.), and semi-volatile organic compounds (pesticides). Other pollutants are in the form of particles. These include bioaerosols (mold spores, pollen, viruses, bacteria, insect parts, animal dander, etc.); soot; particles from buildings, furnishings and occupants such as fiberglass, gypsum powder, paper dust, lint from clothing, carpet fibers, etc.; dirt (sandy and earthy material), etc.

EZ Pay

• How do you figure my monthly payments?

To calculate your monthly budget payments, we use your fuel delivery record from last year to estimate the number of gallons you will LIKELY use during the next heating season. We multiply the number of gallons by an estimated price per gallon. This amount is then spread out into equal monthly payments.

• Can my monthly payment amount change?

Yes, we may need to make adjustments to your monthly payment amount based on the weather and the oil market. If you have a cap, your price cannot rise above your cap price, so you would be protected from a drastic increase. If prices fall and stay lower, your monthly payment would be adjusted downward. If you are paying the daily market price, your monthly payment could theoretically increase or decrease. (GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF WE DO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT AMOUNT, THAT ADJUSTMENT WOULD TEND TO BE A MODEST ONE.)

• I’ve seen prices that are lower than yours. Why is that?

There are always going to be companies that charge more or less than we do (we tend to be right in the middle). It’s important to compare apples to apples. First, are they a full service–dealer, or just one that makes deliveries, leaving you to fend for yourself if your equipment breaks down or they can’t secure more oil? Second, are they telling you their regular price, or a special come-on rate? This is a game many oil companies around here play—especially the huge ones. You think you are going to lower your bills permanently, only to discover that your price is jacked up really high as soon as the offer ends.

In the meantime, when it’s cold and the company is busy, who are they likely to serve first? Customers who are paying the regular rate, or a new one who’s paying a lot less? And how flexible do you think they’d be if you needed more time to pay your bills because of a temporary problem?

Often, these same companies find other ways to skimp that can cost you big time—like not doing the annual tune-up included in their service plan; not offering true night and weekend service; and not keeping enough service technicians to get to you quickly if you have no heat.

We guarantee that our daily price is competitively price compared with the full–service dealers in our area. And customers tell us that our superior service saves them money, reduces their aggravation and gives them real peace of mind.

If you want to buy all of your oil before the heating season, we still do offer a pre-buy option. This choice allows you to buy all of your fuel at the daily market price with a single payment.

• When do I need to sign up for a price cap?

Enrollment is open at any time throughout the year.

• Why do you have an early termination fee?

We’re forced to do this because of our lawyers. To give you price protection, we have to buy the oil ahead of time and we’re on the hook for that. So we need you to honor your commitment. But if you don’t like that, you can choose our regular daily rate.

• So, do I really need price protection at all?

That’s a good question. Many of our customers have actually done better just staying on our market price, which has no additional costs, and the greatest flexibility. While there’s no cap, there’s also no fee, and your price is guaranteed to go down when oil prices drop. Whatever you do, it’s almost always easier to spread out your bills with our monthly payment program.

The fact is, some companies don’t actually buy the options they need to really lower their price. They say they’ll drop it, but it’s really fixed. Some of them don’t even really buy the oil to protect you from price increases. They just hope for the best. And that’s why over the past few years, there have been companies that defaulted on their price protection programs. We have never defaulted on our programs. We do it the right way so you can have real peace of mind.

• Am I guaranteed to save money on your price protection program?

There are no guarantees when it comes to oil prices, but our price protection programs provide more certainty about what you’ll pay for your fuel. In two of the last three years, for example, customers paying our daily rate (no price cap) actually saved more money, because prices dropped and they had opted not to pay the insurance fee. But two years ago, prices went up a lot, and customers on price protection saved a lot.

• I’ve seen other companies that aren’t charging for a cap. Why is that?

If a company isn’t charging for a cap, it is highly unlikely that they are offering true price protection — coverage that ensures prices will not go above a stated maximum price no matter what happens and, if they are offering downside protection, the ability to adjust your price downward if prices should fall. Read about some of those cases by clicking here.

• Are all fuel company price protection plans similar?

There are really only two kinds of price protection; those that fix your price and those that set a ceiling on the price you must pay. But there are a variety of ways that companies back up their offers. Some companies actually buy fuel ahead of time, while others buy a type of price insurance from their suppliers. There is no regulation about how much fuel a company must buy to back up their price protection. When you choose to buy price protection, you are making a bet not just on what will happen to prices, but on the professionalism of your fuel company.

Read about some of those cases by clicking here. Many fly by night companies have actually shut their doors and gone bankrupt with their customers’ money after offering some very attractive pre-buy rates. So have some long standing companies. So, who you protect your oil price with is probably even more important than what program or price you choose.

• What is downside protection?

Since a price cap program protects you from falling prices, we have to purchase options that allow us to “sell back” fuel to the supplier at the higher rate, and then buy more fuel at the new, lower rate. This downside protection allows us to lower our prices when market rates fall.

• Can you tell me which is more likely to happen?

No, that’s the problem. As much as we wish we could predict how prices will move, when it will happen, and by how much, it’s impossible. Just look at last year when all the major analysts were warning about crude oil potentially going to $200 a barrel, and you see how futile it is to speculate. What you should do is look at your personal situation, realize that there is no one pricing program that always works out best, and decide which approach makes you most comfortable. No matter which choice you make, however, you can count on us to deliver what you’ve asked for, and back up our programs the right way.

• Which way will prices go?

That’s anyone’s guess. As we have seen, oil prices tend to swing in cycles. Last year is a perfect, if rather dramatic example of this. In July of 2008 the price of crude oil peaked around $147 a barrel, and then plummeted as low as $38. There are so many factors that affect the price of oil that guessing whether and when prices will go up or down is pure speculation.

• Why has the cost of a price cap increased?

In the past, there was much less volatility in the oil markets and the cost of a price cap program was quite low. That’s why we offered it to our customers at no cost. Now that the energy markets have become so unpredictable and the likelihood of falling prices has become so much greater, the cost of price cap “insurance” has become much greater. It’s similar to flood insurance. If you live in a flood-prone area, your insurance premiums are a lot more than if you lived on high ground far from rivers and streams. Right now, we live in a time with a very volatile energy market.

• Why is there a fee for the price cap?

As you might expect, our suppliers charge us a premium for offering the “insurance” that allows us to keep your price from skyrocketing while at the same time gives us the flexibility of lowering your price should market prices fall. While we can absorb some of the cost, we must pass some of it along in the form of a fee to those customers who choose this option. The cost of this has gone up substantially as the market has gotten more volatile. We do not make any money on this fee — and we also don’t cut corners like some companies do. We protect your oil the right way. Click here to learn more about price caps.

• What’s the difference between a fixed price program and price cap protection?

A fixed price program means that your price is fixed at one set price throughout the heating season. No matter how high world oil prices go, your price can’t skyrocket. Similarly, with a price cap, you are still protected against price surges. Your rate cannot go higher than the “ceiling.” But the difference is that with a cap, if the market price falls, your price drops too. Any time our daily rate is lower than the cap ceiling, you pay the lower amount.

• What are you recommending to your customers this year?

Rather than recommend what to do, we feel it is more responsible to provide you with as much information as we can to help you make an informed decision. What you decide really depends on your personal situation and which option makes you feel most comfortable. There’s no one type of program that always works out the best. Many people like the cap because it gives them a feeling of certainty. But it’s not guaranteed to save you money. In two of the last three years, our monthly payment customers actually did better just paying our normal discounted retail price on our EZ Pay Plan. But no matter which option you choose, our monthly payment plan makes paying for you fuel manageable by spreading your payments out over 6 or 12 months.

FAQ