 Q. What are your business hours?
A. It varies. Our normal business hours during the heating season are about 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. But we are on-call 24 hours per day for emergencies, and you will never get an answering machine no matter what time you call us -- there will always be a live person at the other end of the line.
Q. How are fuel prices set?
A: Heating fuels like oil, natural gas and propane are traded on the commodities market, where prices go up and down like they do in the stock market. Heating oil, propane and natural gas prices are affected by global politics, demand and many other factors.
Q. Which is cheaper: oil or natural gas?
A: Historically, oil and natural gas prices have tended to track one another. But even when natural gas prices are lower, converting to this fuel involves a considerable expense—one that could easily take years to recoup.
Q. Would I save money if I converted to another fuel or electricity?
A. Because heating fuels are measured differently (in gallons, therms or kilowatt hours), the best way to compare prices is to look at the cost for each fuel to produce the same amount of heat. A common way to do this is in dollars per million BTUs. When using this method, heating oil has been the clear winner for more than 10 years because it packs more BTUs of heat than natural gas, propane or electricity.
Q. Approximately how long will it take for you to complete an installation of a heating or cooling system?
A. We will work with your schedule to start the job when it is convenient for you, and then we will do our best to complete the job within 24 hours. If for some reason this is not possible, we will never leave you without heat.
Q. At what temperature should I set my thermostat?
A. That’s a question only you can answer based on your comfort preferences. But here’s something you may want to keep in mind: with a programmable thermostat, you can save 1% on your heating bill for each degree you dial down, as long as the setback period is at least eight hours. For example, you could save $90 during the heating season by dialing down 3 degrees each night.
Q. What is the fan “auto/on” switch on the thermostat used for?
A. When the switch is in the "on" position, the fan runs constantly; it gives you constant air circulation. You can use the fan "on" setting to reduce temperature variations in a multistory home. When the switch is in the "auto" position, the fan cycles on and off with the rest of the heating or cooling system.
Q. Do you offer financing?
A. Yes. We offer up to 2 years of financing on new equipment to existing customers in good standing.
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