Question about oil services (Bangor, Hope: insurance, live, prices)

[RANGER.101ST]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Some heaters heat the oil. I have one on my tractor that heats the oil. Another option my father used to use was a heated dipstick. The dipstick keeps the oil warm enough for the engine to turn over easily. Thick oil makes the engine hard to turn and starters have trouble enough turning a warm engine when it's very cold out.

i have an oil pan blanket on my kenworth and a rad heater for the coolant.
that thing dont like the cold.
as for my pickup it stays in the garage where its warm.

[verenda]

Hi

I just recieved an email from the Dead river co. The easy cap plan for example would be $332 a month at 800 gallons at 2.62 per gallon with something called a downside fee of 200.00 totalling 2319. This is just an example, thye do not have a record for our house for the full winter. Is this resonable? Like I said we have a fixed income and this price concerns me, even though its about the same that we pay here at home for electric heat. Just worrying about finances the first couple of months after our move.

Thanks

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by verenda

Hi

I just recieved an email from the Dead river co. The easy cap plan for example would be $332 a month at 800 gallons at 2.62 per gallon with something called a downside fee of 200.00 totalling 2319. This is just an example, thye do not have a record for our house for the full winter. Is this resonable? Like I said we have a fixed income and this price concerns me, even though its about the same that we pay here at home for electric heat. Just worrying about finances the first couple of months after our move.

Thanks

I believe the downside fee is something they charge that allows you to receive a credit if the price of oil goes down lower than 2.62/gallon.

Knowing nothing about your house, I don't think anybody can reasonably say if you will go through 800 gallons. Is it new construction? How warm do you like to keep the house? Will you be running the heat all the time? What appliances are run off of your oil furnace (our heats our house and hot water, for example)

FYI...cash price right now is 1.98-2.06.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by verenda

Reloop, We will be in Fort Fairfield. Where do I get the heater for the car? Its an SUV.

Can anyone recommend a local company for oil? Could they deliver for our arrival on Friday or do I have to be there? And we are on a fixed income so I am a little worried about the costs.

Thanks for all the tips everyone

I'm not from the area, so I couldn't recommend an area dealer, but "word of mouth" is your best bet IMHO. I found a couple of links:

Welcome to the Town of Fort Fairfield, Maine (http://www.fortfairfield.org/ff_home.cfm - broken link)

Find a Maine Oil Dealer in Aroostook County

Give those a try. The Maine Oil Dealers Association link should get you the page to the county.

[Bydand]

When I lived in the area up there I generally used either Ferris Oil out of Presque Isle (Office is on Parsons Street), or Irvine Oil. I did use Dead River one time. DOC (Dagle Oil Company) isn't bad either. Call around is the best bet really. I never prepaid for oil and never got burned over the course of any of the 20 winters up there. Depending on the house 800 gallons may be about right. Some years I used 650 gallons, other years 900 gallons. It all really depends on the winter temps and how you watch the thermostat. I personally found that I used less oil when I put in (and actually used) a programmable thermostat.

[atardie]

Ferris oil is out of buisness. Dead river is good. I use a company named Mapleton Oil, a small outfit with great service and easy terms. They don't have a "locked in " price but are excellent to deal with and deliver to Fort Fairfield.

[Bydand]

When did Ferris go under? That's too bad, Dan and his Dad were nice to deal with. I forgot about Mapleton Oil. You are right, very good to deal with.

[atardie]

Early last fall I guess. Then Bob tried to make it doing just burner work and I don't think he's doing that anymore either. Dear River took their oil customers...

[maineguy8888]

Hometown Fuel in Limestone is good to us......I think they deliver to Fort--not 100% sure.

If you are worried about costs in the next month or two, you may want to just pay as you go. I know that can be risky, but the odds of oil going back to $4.00 or $5.00 a gallon would seem pretty slim.
FYI: Irving does not do home heating oil anymore.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

FYI: Irving does not do home heating oil anymore.

Dang, it looks like I was bad news for Oil companies. Thinking back I remember that Irving sold off their home heating to another company a couple years ago, after I went with Ferris.