FAQ

I just bought a new house. How much oil should I plan to use this year?

The statistic we most often see for the Seattle area is 525 gallons per year; however there is wide variation in usage. The size of your home, the amount of insulation, the quality of your doors and windows, the number of people living with you, the age and efficiency of your furnace, whether you have a forced warm air heat or a boiler system, how warm you keep your home and the severity of the winter all influence that figure.

What is automatic refill?

There are two ways to get your fuel delivered: will-call and automatic refill.  When you are on will-call you should measure your tank yourself and give us a call when you would like a delivery.  We recommend ordering oil when you are down to no fewer than 10 inches.  When you are on automatic refill we take responsibility for maintaining enough fuel in your tank.  All oil companies use the same method, called the ‘Degree Day System’. It compares past weather to determine when you will need approximately two-thirds of your tank.  While we recommend automatic refill for almost everyone you should understand that you are giving us the authority to deliver you whenever we think you need a delivery and that could be at a time that might be inconvenient for you. As with anything at Seelig Fuel, a change is only a phone call away, and if you would like to insure that you do not get a delivery during a specific time period, call and cancel automatic refill during the period when you would prefer not to have one. There is no additional charge for automatic refill.

We were on vacation for two months and we used more oil than ever. Do you think someone stole our oil?

Very doubtful. We actually get this question quite often, but we don’t think any of our customers have ever had their oil stolen, primarily because it would not be easy to do.  It would require a pump, a container to temporarily hold the oil, a vehicle to transport the oil and a few hours to stand around outside while they are performing the heist, as it doesn’t come out of the tank nearly as fast as it goes in.  But what does happen is that sometimes empty houses use more oil than occupied houses. We assume this is because heat is created by light bulbs, computers and appliances and great hunks of 98.6° walking around.

Will I use less oil if I replace my oil furnace?

Almost certainly. One of the great things about oil heat equipment is that it seems to last forever and many people reading this may have a furnace that is over 50 years old.  There have been many advances in all types of furnaces in the past half century and new equipment will be more efficient than the old.  Are you currently using anything else that is over 50 years old?

When can I expect help if my furnace breaks down?

Same day . Always.

How often should I change my air filters and why?

We recommend 2 to 4 times per year. The air filter removes particles from the air circulating through your heating system and improves air quality in your home.  In addition, a clogged air filter restricts air flow, which reduces the amount of heat coming through your registers.

I ran out of oil, got a refill and my furnace still won’t start. What should I do now?

First make sure that the thermostat is set above the ambient temperature in you home, then press the reset button on the control.  The control is one of the electrical parts on your furnace and you may have to open a door to locate it.  The button may be red, or it may be labeled “reset button” or it may have warning notice directing the reader to “push only one time”. When you push it in the furnace should start or try to start.  If it shuts down after a minute, wait 10 minutes and try resetting again. When you have run out of oil you may have to reset up to 4 times.  If your furnace does not start and run after 4 resets you will need a mechanic.

Most furnaces have oil lines both to and from the furnace. However if you have a single-line system you will have to ‘bleed the line’ to get your furnace to start.  Some homeowners do this for themselves, but unless you have been shown how we recommend that you get a technician.

My neighbor converted to gas heat and is happy with his new furnace. Why should I stay with oil heat?

Everyone who gets a new furnace is happy. Generally by the time people get around to replacing their furnace it has been giving them grief for some time with breakdowns or emitting odors and smoke, and it is a huge relief to have clean pure warm air in their home again.  But that is a function of it being new rather than its source of energy.

But what makes oil preferable to gas?  Oil is the warmest and most comfortable heat there is.  The air coming out of your vents is 10°-15° warmer with oil heat than with gas, so your home heats up faster.  Beyond that, oil equipment is going to last at least twice and maybe three times as long as gas equipment.  In addition you have a choice of venders, if your current supplier fails to make you happy just open the phonebook and call another one, with gas there is only one supplier. Plus you have the ability to supply yourself by purchasing diesel fuel at the gas station and putting it in your tank. However, if you have gas and the line loses pressure, you are without heat until the gas company gets it working again.  And finally, there is no comparison between the safety records of oil and gas. Oil is not explosive and is not a significant producer of carbon monoxide.

Where can I get an oil tank measuring stick?

Right here. They cost only $15 and that includes delivery.

I’m worried about my tank leaking. What do you recommend?

While we are not tank experts we do have some experience in this field and our first advice is to stop worrying. Leaks are very rare and leaks into the ground are extremely rare.  Although tanks do corrode over time they typically leak in rather than out. When the ground is very saturated with water it can be forced into the tank through tiny holes created by the corrosion and because water is heavier than oil it will fall to the bottom of the tank.  Seelig Fuel customers with maintenance agreements have this water removed from their tanks every year during their annual tune-up.  If we consistently find significant water in your tank we might recommend that you replace it.  Some people prefer to replace their tank with an above ground tank, which takes all the guesswork out of the “Is it leaking” question.

What is Pollution Liability Insurance?

In Washington State we are very lucky to have the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency which provides a FREE $60,000 insurance policy to homeowners that will pay for environmental cleanup if their tank should fail, including third party damages.  However, you must be registered to take advantage of the insurance. If you do not know if you are registered you can call the agency at 800-822-3905 and ask.  If it turns out you are not, please call us to get the form or register online at WWW.PLIA .WA.GOV.

Does Seelig Fuel sell tank replacement agreements?

Yes. Seelig Fuel is a ‘Home Heating Fuel Service Contract Provider’.  That is government-speak for us being licensed to sell Tank Replacement Agreements. Our current price for tanks 300 gallons and under is $44/year and larger tanks are $49/year. Call for more details.

What are Biodiesel and Bioheat and why aren’t you selling them?

Biodiesel is a renewable energy resource that is produced chemically from any oil or fat.  It can be mixed with regular diesel in concentration up to 20% to form Bioheat that can be used in your furnace in place of heating oil.  Everyone in the industry is extremely excited about it, including all of us at Seelig Fuel.  However, there have been some problems with it and we have decided to hold off a bit to make sure all the kinks are worked out of it before we offer it to our customers. We are looking forward to offering it in the future.

I’m thinking about switching to Seelig Fuel, but my service contract still has 6 months left. What should I do?

Call today.  It seems as if every new customer comes to us with a full tank and having just paid for their service contract. Oh well.  We are happy to cover any time remaining on your contract with one of our competitors at no charge until it would normally expire, so please call and let’s get your account set up. Our experience is that those who delay end up getting filled up by their current company again, and having to pay our competitor’s high prices for yet another tank of oil.

Why are your prices so low compared to Rossoe, Sound, Genesee, Pacific, Olson and all those other big guys in the area?

What we wonder is why are their prices so high?  We all line up together and load diesel, so there is no difference in our products. The only thing we can figure is they have a lot bigger overhead than we do – but that is a question they should answer.  We have been selling oil for over 20 year and the question we are asked most often is, “What is your price today?” We know it is the item you care about the most, which is why we try so hard to keep our price down.  Call today to see what our current price is.

Do you offer budget payment plans?

Yes. We do a quick credit application over the phone, agree to a set monthly payment, and you are ready to go.  There is no finance charge as long as you make a payment during each billing cycle, although you do sacrifice the $.10/gallon ‘Quick Pay’ discount you would get if you paid in full within 5 days of the delivery.

Do you accept credit cards?

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express

What is going on with the price of heating oil?

Good question.  The past couple of years have seen wild price fluctuations, ending with the 2008-2009 heating season seeing the lowest prices in 5 years.  With heating oil, which is diesel fuel, you are paying the current market price for a commodity, and like all commodities its cost both increases and decreases.  Higher prices spur investment in finding new sources of crude oil, energy conservation and research into alternative fuels which all eventually decrease demand and cause the price to fall.  In addition both local and world events can effect the price.  The important thing to keep in mind is that the price is going to continue to move in both directions.  If you are a will-call customer and trying to buy when the price is at its lowest you are welcome to call everyday to see where we are at.

Is oil heat clean?

Completely. A well-tuned furnace should produce no more than a single tablespoon of soot per year.

What is the safest way to heat my home?

Oil. Absolutely

Is there any help for low-income families?

There are several private and government agencies that provide assistance with heating oil payments plus both repair and replacement of furnaces, windows and chimneys to families who meet their income guidelines. For help in Seattle call the Central Area Motivation Program at 206-812-4940; north of Seattle call Hopelink at 1-800-348-7144 and south of Seattle call the Multi-service Center at 253-838-6810.

Do you offer any discounts?

We offer a $.10/gallon discount on heating oil for payment in full within 5 days of delivery. We also offer a 10% discount on service contracts to seniors, aged 65 and over, living in their own homes.