Good Record-keeping Helps New Business Owners Avoid Tax-time Headaches
Getting The Right Heating Oil For Your Furnace And Tank Location
Terra Fields
If you use heating oil as fuel in your boiler or furnace, ordering heating oil delivery means selecting the right heating oil for your needs. Generally, there are only a couple of different heating oil options to consider. Still, some conditions can affect the oil you are using, so it is vital to understand the differences.
Number Two Heating Oil
One of the most common fuels used in residential boilers and furnaces is number two heating oil. Like diesel fuel, number two fuel is easy to store because it is very stable and burns efficiently in heating systems.
The heating oil delivery company may offer other fuel types, but generally, number two heating oil is the least expensive to purchase but will often fluctuate in price throughout the year as the demand for it changes. If you can get your heating oil delivery in the summer or early fall, you may be able to fill your storage tank for significantly less than if you wait until winter sets in.
Mix Fuels
Heating oil stored in an outdoor tank can get cold enough that the fuel begins to gel and will not flow through the fuel lines properly. The solution is to order mixed heating oil, a base of number two oil with straight kerosene mixed in to stop the gelling.
The amount of kerosene mixed into the heating oil depends on how cold it is outside. The colder it gets, the more kerosene gets mixed in, up to about fifty percent. In many areas, a typically cold weather mix would be a seventy/thirty mix of heating oil to kerosene, but adjustments can be made as needed.
If you order mixed fuel, the heating oil delivery driver mixes the two products in the tank when filling it. If you ordered one hundred gallons of mixed fuel, you would get seventy gallons of heating oil and thirty of kerosene. The kerosene goes in first to ensure it mixes with the fuel as it is pumped into the tank.
Kerosene For Heating
Some heating systems use straight K1 or kerosene as heating oil or fuel. The cost of K1 is often higher than heating oil, but it burns cleaner and more efficiently, so the lower usage often offsets the fuel cost. The heating oil delivery company can deliver straight K1 for you, but it is a good idea to give them a heads-up that you will need a large amount a few days in advance so they can be sure to have what you need available.
In some cases, if you are buying large amounts of fuel at one time, the heating oil company may be able to work out a price break for you, so ask the manager about it when you are calling to place an order.
If you are in need of heating oil delivery, check out websites of local distributors in your area.
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I have been a business owner for years, and I want to share some tips for success with new entrepreneurs out there who are struggling. I have had my share of business ups and downs, but there was one lesson that it took me way too long to learn: Good financial record-keeping year-long keeps tax time from being so stressful. During my first year in business, I kept most business expense receipts, but when tax time arrived, I found out that I needed to save much more than just those receipts. Thanks to technology, I was able to recover most of the documentation I needed, but it was a huge headache. I quickly invested in good record-keeping software and it made tax time much less stressful during the following years.