Category: Fall 2015

Dear Friends,

Burt’s has worked hard to set ourselves apart from other fuel and service companies on the North Fork. One important way we do this is through our highly skilled team of installers.

When you ask us to install a new furnace, boiler or central air system, we take the time to evaluate your home’s infrastructure, discuss any comfort problems you’ve been living with and listen carefully to what you want. And then we take care of it.

Sometimes, delivering on requests presents challenges for our team, but thanks to their ingenuity and experience, they never fail to exceed expectations. One project we took on recently involved the installation of five air conditioning units in a newly built summer home. To provide the home with perfect climate control, we installed temperature sensors inside the wall panels of every room.

On another installation project, we carried over an industrial-style look that a customer wanted in a home under renovation. We installed oval ducts and left them exposed atop the high ceilings of the main living area. The ducts were then painted to achieve the aesthetic look that the homeowner wanted.

The point is, we are always willing to work with you to make your home more comfortable and save you money on heating and cooling. Feel free to call us and tell us what you’re looking for—and whenever possible, we’ll take care of it!

Warmly,
Martin Romanelli

During the cold seasons, most vacation homes on the North Fork are either lightly used or closed entirely. That’s why nearly 2,000 customers leave their keys with us so we can look after their home during the off season. This saves them the hassle of making long trips out to their second home.

For starters, we make sure your home’s heating oil and/or kerosene tanks always have enough fuel to keep enough heat in the home during winter. (You cannot shut the heat off entirely or you risk frozen pipes.)

We also shut down the water, tune up the equipment and generally keep the home both winterized and ready to go for the return of spring.

Should any problems occur, we will contact you right away. Please call or email us to learn more about how we can protect your summer property.

The most hectic day of the year for a plumber is the day after Thanksgiving. That’s mainly due to the aftermath of the big holiday meal cleanup, which often results in clogged drains and backed-up garbage disposals.

Our experienced plumbing experts not only solve existing problems like these; they are proactive about identifying future ones. This can save you a lot of money down the road.

Please keep us in mind the next time you need help from a plumbing expert. We can diagnose, repair or install any type of plumbing system for your home.

The American oil revolution is bringing lower prices and plentiful domestic supplies. But that’s just the beginning. A new formulation of heating oil is becoming available that burns super-clean, is ultra-efficient and is infused with renewable BioHeat®.

Cleaner than ever

While solar energy and wind power continue to capture headlines for their potential, one of the exciting developments in the energy world has been the expanded use of BioHeat® fuel.

This is a combination of low-sulfur heating oil and biodiesel, which is made domestically from dozens of natural sources, including soybeans, sunflowers and pumpkin seeds.

As the most refined grade of heating oil, BioHeat® fuel burns significantly cleaner and has little negative impact on the environment. When used with a technologically advanced oil heat system, it produces near-zero levels of particulate matter during the combustion process.

What’s more, BioHeat® fuel is made in America and requires no modifications to your existing system.

Production is up, prices are down

The new American oil revolution is now a reality. Domestic oil production just reached its highest point in 43 years! As a result, most experts expect oil prices to stay lower for the foreseeable future.

What about the tank?

Aheating oil storage tank offers an important advantage: the ability to safely store an adequate supply of heating oil that’s ready for immediate use whenever a need to heat the home arises.

Today’s aboveground tanks are worry free and virtually leak proof. Most oil tanks are now built of corrosionresistant materials. In many cases, new aboveground tanks are double-walled and come with alarm systems if there is any discharge.

Plus, the newest generation of aboveground tanks generally can be installed in small or unusually shaped spaces.

In short, today’s tanks provide peace of mind and convenience—in addition to all the other benefits of heating your home with oil!

Higher efficiency and bigger savings

The oil heat industry continues to make technological breakthroughs that promise a new era of higher efficiency and bigger savings for everyone fortunate enough to heat their home with the new heating oil.

• New oil heat systems now boast efficiency ratings as high as 95%, providing more warmth with less fuel than ever before.
• Recent studies show potential fuel savings as high as 48% when replacing an outdated boiler with a new, high-efficiency oil boiler.*
• Many new oil boilers incorporate energy-saving controls that can reduce fuel usage by as much as 10% and provide a more even heat.
• High-efficiency oil furnaces now feature variable-speed motors that use as much as 80% less electricity.

*Source: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

The greater the efficiency, the MORE you SAVE! This chart shows average savings from upgrading to a new system with 85% efficiency.

Three ways to use less oil

1. Distribute heat evenly in rooms by running a ceiling fan in reverse. By recirculating the warm air trapped near the ceiling, you can lower your thermostat.
2. Install smart programmable thermostats to automate your home temperature settings. You could reduce heating oil usage by up to 10%.
3. Add outdoor reset controls to your boiler. Your boiler’s water temperature will automatically adjust, depending on the outdoor temperature. This can save you hundreds on your annual fuel bill.

As we begin another heating season, please make sure leaves or other debris doesn’t block or obscure the oil fill pipe or tank area.

After a snowfall, please clear a path (about 12 inches wide) to your tank. If you have an underground tank, please “flag” the fill pipe so our driver can locate it quickly.

Your driveway should also be cleared after a snowfall. Our fuel trucks need a 9- to 10-foot-wide clear path in your driveway to allow enough room for maneuvering. We usually cannot make a delivery if a driveway is not clear. If you have a seasonal home or you have trouble clearing snow, please call us and we will come up with a solution.

Burt’s Reliable is the only fuel company on the North Fork that delivers natural heating oil with a 20% biofuel blend. This is the cleanest-burning fuel available; it not only helps the environment, it helps your wallet, too!

By using Burt’s Natural Heating Oil™, you can apply for a 20¢-per-gallon clean-fuel state tax credit. Our typical customer saves $150 each year with the tax credit.

For your convenience, we have a tax-credit claim form and instructions on our website, which you can download and print. Just go to “Natural Heating Oil” under “Heating”.

Feel free to call us if you have any questions about this tax credit. It’s just another benefit of being a Burt’s Reliable customer.

Q: Do I really need a heating tune-up every year?

A: Not necessarily. It’s similar to a car. If you have an older model that you drive a lot, it’s usually a good idea to get periodic tune-ups to prevent breakdowns and conserve fuel. Apply the same thinking to your heating system. Get periodic tune-ups done if you have an older system and burn more than 600 gallons per year. If you have a fairly new system and burn less than 600 gallons each year, you can go longer between tune-ups.

Q: How do I know when it’s time to replace my heating system?

A: If a repair includes the replacement of major parts, this may indicate that your system is nearing the end of its life span. We can do an evaluation of your system’s performance to show you how a new high-efficiency system can reduce your heating costs significantly.