Home Fuel Oil is Insane Right Now in NYS

[Donald]

Well cost is a huge factor for me right now, I'm hurting financially due to a divorce. No kids, alimony, or other encumbrances. Just a dual income home went to a single over night.
When I started this thread I was willing to pay a for a supplemental heating source too the tune of $10k (ish). Going over my finances, I've taken a second look and realized that if I can just get a gas hook-up, it will save me enough next winter to have more of budget for a system for winter 2024.
I've been researching and pricing systems out and I had a kink for wood boilers. That would be awesome! But, with a natural gas hook up, it will be cheap enough to not justify the cost of a boiler, plus I can't afford one now.
Pellet stoves are kinda cheap around $4k with install, but again, finances.
I also like the idea of a standalone source of heat in case the power goes out for a while. I know that you can use batteries, but my power was out for three days straight last winter, that sucked. Had to drain the water from the plumbing and stay at my mothers.
That experience has embolden the thought of a standalone source of heat. I've been looking at wood stoves and they are really cheap for an old ugly chunk of iron, but **** they are cheap. The real cost of the install would be lining my chimney. Growing up we had a chimney fire and the fire inspector said its not safe for any further use.

Keep in mind that by changing out an oil burner gun to a gas burner gun will not provide all the benefits of a modem gas boiler.

You could help the efficiency of your current boiler by adding a control that factors in outside temp. As temp outside gets colder it tells boiler to use the high limit. When it's a little warmer it essentially lowers the high limit.

 

[HankHill]

Stove in the basement best, or first floor 2nd best (that would be cheaper for chimney piping cost) and knock a hole and install a exterior tin stack . that should be under $1500

My house is brick built in 1929 and only has one addition with wood construction. The room is in the section of the house that is the most isolated and unused area, so transfering the heat to the main section would be very difficult without making that room about 95* to get the heat to radiate into the other half of the house. I'd have to cut a hole in the wall and install a high volume exhaust fan, which may actually be that bad..

 

[HankHill]

Keep in mind that by changing out an oil burner gun to a gas burner gun will not provide all the benefits of a modem gas boiler.

You could help the efficiency of your current boiler by adding a control that factors in outside temp. As temp outside gets colder it tells boiler to use the high limit. When it's a little warmer it essentially lowers the high limit.

Do you have any more specifications of brand of the sensor kit so I can do some research? I'd definitely give it a try next winter..

 

[dooscoop32]

Stove in the basement best, or first floor 2nd best (that would be cheaper for chimney piping cost) and knock a hole and install a exterior tin stack . that should be under $1500

Just checked "foolishly" expecting oil to go down, went up to $4.799

I don't know about your area but around these parts, wood is incredibly expensive plus with wood heat, the majority of the heat goes up the chimney.

 

[HankHill]

I don't know about your area but around these parts, wood is incredibly expensive plus with wood heat, the majority of the heat goes up the chimney.

Woods pretty cheap here, last time I checked (last summer for my fire pit) it was about 100$. Located right down the road three miles there is a "firewood factory" where there is a huge pile of split wood 30 feet high and its diameter is massive, can't see that over the fence though. I'm guessing he would have the best cash price in the area.

 

[PandaBear]

I know Amherst and its still worse than my town in terms of transplants from the city. Most incoming NYC transplant are very wealthy and have quick influence in the community on school boards and have even made their way onto the planning board, school board, building and development department. Lots of new construction going up that are duplexes and apartment buildings.
My local sportsman's has been the subject of lawsuits about a shooting club in what used to be a medium density area and the club has been there for over 70 years. A housing development was built a quarter mile down the road on the opposite side of the road from the club. $400k up to $600k homes. When people moved in they began to complain to the town because of the noise, they were all told by the builder about the club, because of the club. They insisted and he did, they all were told and there were no issues about it than. FF a year and they began to complain about the noise, and the noise isn't that bad. Club is built in a big sand pit and its reflects the sound upward. They complained to the town again citing safety issues, the club had to hire a lawyer and have the entire thing surveyed and they had to prove that it was impossible for a ricochet (sand berms) or ability for bullet to have trajectory where it would ever come close to impacting any houses in the area. Next, the community got together and hired a lawyer an sued the club for damages, etc because of the noise and fear from the perceived threat of the gunshots. Again, club had to lawyer up, pretty sure they were told to pound sand. The club is in constant threat from that development, other people who are seeking damages from fear of safety issues, and just plain old random people the live on the other side of town 15 miles away that just hate firearms, and can't believe there could ever be a club, in their town, "that supports murder and gun violence". Membership fees are going up every year, and the cost has turned many people away. YAY transplants!!

As you can see this is how our legal system works (not that other legal systems are perfect either, corruption with money always find a way). Suing someone till they are bankrupt is the US way rather than straightly bribing the judge or gov official as they do in 3rd world countries.

 

[HankHill]

As you can see this is how our legal system works (not that other legal systems are perfect either, corruption with money always find a way). Suing someone till they are bankrupt is the US way rather than straightly bribing the judge or gov official as they do in 3rd world countries.

Another sign of NYS's judicial failure is sentencing gang members with prior weapons charges, that murder someone, only sentencing them to 8-20 years. Murderer will only due 6 realistically.
If I did that, I'd get life for sure.

 

[PandaBear]

Another sign of NYS's judicial failure is sentencing gang members with prior weapons charges, that murder someone, only sentencing them to 8-20 years. Murderer will only due 6 realistically.
If I did that, I'd get life for sure.

Not sure about that. So far from what I have seen unless you get some medical record of mental illness you will only serve little, and if you have mental illness they let you walk with a misdemeanor charge.

This is how "jail cost make law enforcement obsolete" like "war cost make war obsolete" in 2022.

 

[Donald]

Do you have any more specifications of brand of the sensor kit so I can do some research? I'd definitely give it a try next winter..

I put in a Tekmar control. About the size of a deck of playing cards. It's a microprocessor. Takes a few things into account such as type of heat in rooms, baseboard, radiators, etc. Along with outside temp and boiler temp.

 

[HankHill]

I put in a Tekmar control. About the size of a deck of playing cards. It's a microprocessor. Takes a few things into account such as type of heat in rooms, baseboard, radiators, etc. Along with outside temp and boiler temp.

Checking tomorrow for details and price. Gonna have to get something like that for next winter. Thanks again!

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Checking tomorrow for details and price. Gonna have to get something like that for next winter. Thanks again!

I just run the high limit at around 180F. depending on what the Tridicator is reading for boiler temp. Over 200 is WAY too high IMO.
ON multizone hydronic system, a zone for a large area shouldn't run over 10 mins +/- on a heat call if it is above 20F out - with everything set, adjusted and sized correctly. Works out to about 3 gallons a oil a day with a .75 semi-solid nozzle

Also My buddy swear by a pellet stove. A lot easier to load start and run than a wood stove and efficient. He tells me a hopper of hardwood pellets will last all night. I just like my large Franklin style windowed wood stove though its getting long in the tooth

 

[HankHill]

I just run the high limit at around 180F. depending on what the Tridicator is reading for boiler temp. Over 200 is WAY too high IMO.
ON multizone hydronic system, a zone for a large area shouldn't run over 10 mins +/- on a heat call if it is above 20F out - with everything set, adjusted and sized correctly. Works out to about 3 gallons a oil a day with a .75 semi-solid nozzle

Also My buddy swear by a pellet stove. A lot easier to load start and run than a wood stove and efficient. He tells me a hopper of hardwood pellets will last all night. I just like my large Franklin style windowed wood stove though its getting long in the tooth

Thanks for the good info! I cannot imagine only using only 3 gallons a day, That tank of oil would last me

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Just checked prices again. Still $4.799 per U.S. gal.

Maybe less next week? I am getting close to a 1/4 tank. I don't like to be low, due to the large, exposed surface area in the tank for moisture condensation - especially in the early spring

I hope this is just a one-time OUCH !

 

[HankHill]

Just checked prices again. Still $4.799 per U.S. gal.

Maybe less next week? I am getting close to a 1/4 tank. I don't like to be low, due to the large, exposed surface area in the tank for moisture condensation - especially in the early spring

I hope this is just a one-time OUCH !

I need a fill because I've dropped below a quarter of a tank..

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Have you found some oil under 5 bucaneers ?

I bet current price also high due to the purchased contract when oil was in the threes, so current customers make up the difference.
I wonder what percentage of takers the heating oil distributors have for pre-paid contracts?

We can commiserate ... along with 100 million others in this lead boat

 

[HankHill]

Current price average here is $4.99 a gallon. I need a delivery like tomorrow in order to prevent running the tank dry.. Minimum delivery is 100 gallons. Ouch!

 

[Blueshound]

It's a global problem:

Soaring Cost of Diesel Ripples Through the Global Economy (Published 2022)

Russia’s war in Ukraine has caused a steep rise in a fuel essential to truckers, farmers and industry. Europe is hardest hit.

www.nytimes.com

Germans are paying more than $9 per gallon!

 

[Zee09]

I pre-bought propane which was on another thread. Conservation must be working because they keep spamming me to buy more.

1000 gallon price is $1.51a gallon at that volume and now they are offering $125. off of that.

Update...just looked..now $1.35
What happened to the $5 propane???

 

[Dave Hess]

It's a global problem:

Soaring Cost of Diesel Ripples Through the Global Economy (Published 2022)

Russia’s war in Ukraine has caused a steep rise in a fuel essential to truckers, farmers and industry. Europe is hardest hit.

www.nytimes.com

Germans are paying more than $9 per gallon!

Its going to get bad around the globe. The entire global economy is like a bicycle chain.
Look at all the farmers here in the USA worried they can NOT get fertilizer for their crops.

Thats going to affect food prices every where in the USA.

Whole Foods will soon be Whole Paycheck. The guy on TV still eating steak and lobster…..

 

[HankHill]

Its going to get bad around the globe. The entire global economy is like a bicycle chain.
Look at all the farmers here in the USA worried they can NOT get fertilizer for their crops.

Thats going to affect food prices every where in the USA.

Whole Foods will soon be Whole Paycheck.

I had to pay $5.299 for a minimum delivery amount of 125 gallons. The Cost was $664, and all I really needed was 50 gallons. Two months ago they would deliver 100 gallons at a time.. And they started going to the third digit on price just like the gas stations do.. $5.299. I can't wait to install a wood stove this summer.