Dear Friends,
While no one knows what exactly is in store for fall, we do know it’s possible that we may face a resurgence of COVID-19 here, with all its attendant challenges.
I sincerely hope the disease has not taken any loved ones from you. I hope you, your family and friends are staying as safe as possible.
We are working hard in anticipation of and preparation for potential disruptions. We have an unbelievable team here, who make me proud every day with their willingness to take care of our customers when it matters most. They have been extraordinarily flexible and committed. I could go on for hours with stories of how they continue to put the needs of our customers first.
We ask that you look at the article about our safety protocols, so you can see how you can help our team work safely in your home.
We will all need to be flexible and patient with each other as we adapt to the new challenges we now face. I appreciate the trust you’ve placed in our family to keep you warm — more than words can convey.
Stay safe!
Richard C. Bologna
When one of our technicians enters your home, we want both of you to feel as comfortable as possible. That’s why we follow these precautions:
You can count on us to be there for you, and to be safe. Please visit this page to read more about our response to COVID-19.
Home is our haven, an escape from the turbulent outside world. That’s why we’ve filled these pages with information that we hope will make you as safe and comfortable as possible — all the time.
The wicked witch attempted to use poppies to send Dorothy into a permanent sleep. Carbon monoxide (CO) can do that for real.
CO is created when any kind of fuel is burned, but it’s vented safely to the outside. That’s why it’s important to have all fuel-burning devices serviced regularly by a professional. This will ensure that your equipment is operating properly.
Because CO is a toxic, invisible and odorless gas, you should already have CO detectors installed around your home, especially near all bedrooms. Remember to test the detectors about once a month.
A faulty burner or furnace can cause a CO leak. Other causes of CO leaks can include:
CO poisoning symptoms include fatigue, dizziness and nausea. If you suspect a CO leak, get fresh air right away by opening doors and windows and leave the house before calling for help.
As someone who uses oilheat, you can feel better knowing that if your oil burner malfunctions (most often due to a lack of maintenance), the safety devices in the unit will typically shut the furnace or boiler off.
Plus, you will usually see smoke coming out of your boiler or furnace as a warning sign. In contrast, a gas heating system usually does not produce a visual warning sign if there is a carbon monoxide problem.
Technological breakthroughs have brought in a new era of higher efficiency and tremendous savings for anyone who uses oilheat.
The combination of increasingly efficient oil heating systems and continuous improvements with ultra-low-sulfur Bioheat® fuel is the one-two punch that will help homeowners in the years ahead.
With hot water usage significantly higher in most homes this year, some people have found that their water heater is not capable of keeping up with the increased demand.
If it’s taking longer for your water to heat, the water doesn’t get as hot as it did before or you simply keep running out of hot water, you are probably ready for an upgrade. And if you notice a slow leak from your tank or rust on the tank or in your tap water, you definitely need a new water heater.
If you think your water heater is failing — the average water heater lasts anywhere from 7 to 13 years — please speak with us about your options in oil-fired water heaters. After installing one, you will benefit from low-cost access to virtually unlimited amounts of hot water.
That’s because the “recovery rate” is as high as 120 gallons per hour. (Recovery rate measures how many gallons of water can be heated in an hour).
This means plenty of hot water for the whole family — something that less efficient gas and electric water heaters cannot provide.
Many of our customers now use their boilers not only to heat their homes, but to produce hot water for showers, hot tubs, washing machines, dishwashers — you name it. And they get it virtually free in the winter.
It’s called an indirect-fired water heater, and if you have a boiler, it can be a phenomenal option.
Anytime your boiler is heating your home, your indirect water heater works for free. A traditional stand-alone water heater has to use gas or electricity to keep that water hot. And that’s a huge waste of money.
If you have a water heater that is 10 years old or older, check out an indirect — and less expensive approach — to heating your water.
While few people could have predicted the massive disruption we have faced for the last six months, in some ways, we have been preparing our business for this for years.
We do not charge discount prices. This gives us the ability to reinvest in our company with the latest technologies, and has made it possible to service customers remotely during this crisis. We’ve never missed a beat. This year that investment has really paid off for our customers and team. Here’s how:
Feel confident that we are better positioned to meet the current challenge than virtually any fuel company in the area.
As you know, for a few months, we were unable to do tune-ups for customers. Though we are working very hard to catch up, we anticipate continued delays in scheduling.
Fortunately, because we deliver a combination of Bioheat® fuel and ultra-lowsulfur fuel, our customers’ systems burn cleaner, enabling them to go longer without tune-ups.
Take advantage of contactless communication, including paperless billing and AutoPay.
Many of our customers have changed their fuel consumption patterns because of the virus. If you work from home and your kids are not in school full time, you’ll probably use more fuel than you did before.
This may throw our delivery projections off. If you are on automatic delivery, please contact us if you see your tank reaches 3/8 full.
If you call for deliveries, be more cautious about the amount of notice you give us for your delivery. Call us if you get to the levels cited above.
Some of you may already know Karon Legere — or at least recognize her voice. Karon is our newest customer service representative — she joined our office team in July. She brings to us 20 years of experience in the industry.
The bulk of her day is dedicated to providing friendly customer service over the phone, which includes scheduling service appointments and helping customers sign up for our pricing and service programs.
“I enjoy speaking with our customers, helping them with their needs and sharing my sunny personality with them,” says Karon, who grew up in Norwalk.
Away from work, Karon enjoys spending time with her 15-year-old son, who keeps her busy with his sports activities. They also enjoy outings, walks and bike rides.