If you have an oil heating system in your upstate New York home, you usually have your heating oil delivered multiple times during the year.
As it is stored in your home’s oil tank until you use it, you may wonder how long it stays “fresh,” as well as what could happen if your heating oil has been sitting in your tank for too long.
We’ll give you the good news first.
The No. 2 heating oil that’s used in most home heating systems has an average shelf life of 18 to 24 months. So even if you didn’t use all of your heating oil last winter, you’re good.
There’s a flip side to the good news.
Several factors could affect the 18-to-24-month estimate. Heating oil can break down with exposure to water and bacteria, so the condition of your heating oil tank may affect the quality of your heating oil.
If heating oil is older than 18 to 24 months, it can still be used. However, its ability to generate heat diminishes over time. That means if the heating oil can’t meet your home heating system’s requirements for heat, your system will shut off. And that leads to a service call from your heating equipment technician to get your system back on.
Contact Penguin Energy if the heating oil in your home’s tank is more than two years old, or if you’re unsure of just how old it is. We can work with you to get your heating oil tank professionally drained and then refilled with our quality home heating oil.
Penguin Energy is there for you with affordable heating oil. Become a customer today!