Most of us buy our fuel oil in larger quantities throughout the year so our heating system is ready for action when we need it most in our Eastern LI home. While scheduling our heating oil deliveries this way seems smart in theory, it only works if heating oil has a long enough “shelf life” to sit in your storage tank until it’s needed.

The question is, does it?

The truth is, heating oil does spoil over time: bacteria in your heating oil storage tank and within the oil itself will degrade the oil, causing it to thicken into unusable sludge. Paint, rust, and other common acids can also decrease the shelf life of your oil.

So how long does heating oil last without decaying? Typically about 18 to 24 months, as long as it includes the right additives is stored correctly. But you can keep that number on the higher side by following three simple rules:

• Have your heating oil tank inspected regularly. A professional heating oil storage tank inspection will confirm that your tank is not corroding from the inside out. Corrosion can lead to rust contamination and other problems with your fuel oil.
• Always order quality heating oil from a reliable heating oil supplier.
• Estimate how much oil you will need for the season. It’s a good idea to know approximately how much heating oil you will use during the course of a heating season so you don’t order and store heating oil you don’t need. If you need help with estimating your oil use, just ask us.

Need a reliable supply of heating oil any time of the year within our North Fork or East End, LI service area? We can help. Contact Burt’s Reliable today for expert heating oil delivery and heating oil service in Eastern LI!