One question our customers often ask is “how long will my tank of heating oil last?” The answer to that question depends on a number of factors – some of which you may know, and some of which none of us can predict.

Some of the major contributors to the speed of your oil consumption include:

• The size and layout of your home
• The weather
• How much insulation you’ve installed
• How airtight your home is
• What materials they used to build your home
• How high you set your thermostat
• The number of oil-burning appliances
• The number of people living in your home
• And more.

Of course, one of the major factors affecting how quickly you’ll use fuel is the efficiency of your furnace or boiler: a newer, more efficient heating system will burn less oil per hour than an old one (all other things being equal), so if you find yourself using what you think is too much oil, you may want to consider a heating system upgrade. A brand-new furnace or boiler can improve efficiency by 30 percent or more – enough to cover the cost of replacement in just a few years.

If you’re not ready to install a new heating system, keep up with annual maintenance to preserve as much efficiency as possible. As a bonus, your equipment will last longer and require fewer repairs; you’ll also keep your warranty in place.

Estimating Oil Use

Even though many unknowns make predicting oil usage a challenge, there is a useful rule of thumb that will give you a rough idea of what to expect.

For a modest-sized house (2,500 to 3,000 square feet) in Suffolk County, you should expect to burn about five to eight gallons or more of heating oil per day. If you have a 275-gallon tank – which typically holds about 240 gallons of fuel (the rest of the tank’s interior is taken up by debris at the bottom of the tank) – a full tank should last about five or six weeks, depending on the weather.

Just remember, that number is a rough estimate: every home is different and uses different amounts of heating oil every day during the cold months.

No matter how much heating oil you use, we’ll be there with more when you need it. For expert heating oil delivery in our North Fork or East End service area, trust the pros at Burt’s Reliable. Contact us today to become a Burt’s Reliable customer!