Taxing Long Island: Home heating oil can be expensive, but there are ways to save
That's another option for homeowners - signing a contract with your oil provider. You can lock in at one rate that won't change, even if the price of oil does.
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The cost of heating your home goes down as temperatures heat up - that's why experts say now is the time to start planning for your winter heating bills.
"Ridiculous, but now's a good time with summer coming up to lock in your rates and everything like that," said Joe Fradella, of Levittown.
Fradella got a delivery of home heating oil last week, and that's going to save him money.
The owner of Tragar Home Services, Dennis Traina, says there are several ways you can save this winter.
First, do what Fradella did, fill up your tank now, while prices are low.
"Over the last 12 months, oil prices have been falling so typically, when there's less demand, prices can be lower. We happen to be in that time when this would be a good time to get into a price program," said Traina.
That's another option for homeowners - signing a contract with your oil provider. You can lock in at one rate that won't change, even if the price of oil does.
The other option is what's called a cap program. This creates a ceiling on your price per gallon, usually above a lock-in rate, but the advantage with this plan is if oil prices fall you could pay less.
Which is what Richard Humann from Hicksville does.
"It's a shocker, before I was on that, you'd get a bill for like $500," he said.
Now he's paying about $174 a month.
Another way to save money is having a clean and well-maintained system.
"Today's modern oil heart boilers are not only clean burning, but they'll save you over 30% on a boiler that you might've been installed 20 years ago," said Traina.
Tragar also has a program called "Fueling Kindness" to help people pay for heating oil. Those who are struggling can get up to 150 gallons from the company for free.
