Hunter Geist, Author at FuelSnap

Which Is Better: Kerosene or Heating Oil

November 24, 2025June 26, 2025

Petroleum-based fuels are very common nowadays, and we tend to rely on them to heat our homes. They also heat a variety of our automobiles and help the world go round with transportation. It can even power the appliances of some homes, such as furnaces or stoves! But if heating oil and kerosene have similar functions, what’s the difference, and which tends to be better for heating your home? In this article, I’ll go over exactly what the differences are and which one is better for your home!

What Exactly is Kerosene?

Kerosene is a form of hydrocarbon oil (a variety of organic mixtures made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms) with a large variety of uses. Typically, it’s most common uses now tend to be with cooking, heating, and use in jet fuel. However, in the 1800s, it was often used for lighting lamps, which is what kerosene became known for.

Kerosene lamps were very popular in the 1850s. It was used mostly as a light source back then.

Similarly to heating oil, kerosene has a distinct smell. It’s normally either a clear or yellowish fluid. It also actually tends to burn more efficiently and often cleaner than heating oil does. But you can’t use it in just any heating system. If you wish to use kerosene as a long-term heating solution, then you must do it in a specially designed system.

What Are the Differences Between Heating Oil and Kerosene?

Heating Oil is a form of crude oil that is most commonly used as a way to heat your home. This is due to it being incredibly safe and reliable! Getting into the specifics, heating oil will never get to the point of starting a fire in its liquid state. Heating Oil needs to be atomized first. This is the process of converting it from a liquid to a gaseous state. It’s flashpoint is also 140 degrees Fahrenheit. So this means while in it’s oil form it will not ignite and cannot produce heat! The nice thing about that is it makes the risk of fire or explosion non-existent!

However, kerosene is not as safe as heating oil tends to be. Unlike heating oil, it’s flash point is much lower. This can make it susceptible to fire or exploding. Additionally, during the burning process, kerosene produces carbon monoxide. So when burning kerosene, you must have proper ventilation or it can be a deadly mistake! Kerosene tanks must also always be outdoors.

The Differences in Pricing

Prices on heating oil are changing constantly. There’s a lot of different factors as to why this is. But usually, it’s related to what the dealers get oil for at the pump. These play a major role in what dealers charge you per gallon. Supply and demand also plays a big role in this which is why you’ll often see heating oil costs at their highest during the winter and their lowest during the summer. But global crises also play an important role in what the price per gallon is. In 2020, Covid-19 had everyone locked down in their homes. This brought the price per gallon to an all-time low. You would see the price per gallon as low as a ONE DOLLAR! However, the opposite happened in 2022, when Russia invaded the Ukraine. During this time we stopped buying Russian oil, which made our oil prices skyrocket.

This is a chart of heating oil prices up until 2020. You can see that they were at a high point back in 2009.

Additionally, heating oil tends to be much more competitive than kerosene is. This is due to the volume of dealers in your area. If there are more dealers in your area, then prices will tend to be lower. But if there are fewer dealers in your area, then prices will be higher. But regardless, this means that you’ll always have a dealer in your area that will be willing to deliver oil to your home! Using websites like FuelSnap, will help you get the cheapest price available to you!

However, kerosene is a bit different. The price for kerosene is dependent on a variety of different factors, similar to heating oil. Kerosene also tends to be harder to find, and is often pricier than heating oil. This is because not all dealers will offer kerosene. It’s also very constricting. If you manage to find a dealer that offers kerosene, then you might not get another option in the future. Because of this, you’ll have to stick with that dealer moving forward.

Which is the Better Option?

Without question, heating oil is the better option of the two. It’s safe and easy to come by, which makes it easier to order. It’s higher flashpoint makes the likelihood of an explosion or fire impossible. With it’s liquid state being non-flammable, you don’t have to worry about any risk in your home! You can even drop a lit match into a bucket of heating oil and it will extinguish! But, don’t try that at home because heating oil is smelly!

Kerosene does have it’s benefits, but it’s generally not as safe as heating oil. It’s lower flashpoint makes the possibility of fire or explosion more likley than with heating oil. I would definitely loose precious sleep with the fear of that happening! Plus, it’s lack if availability makes it hard to obtain and can often result in higher pricing. Finally, the added fact that it can produces carbon monoxide makes it less than appealing.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Locking In a Price for Heating Oil

November 17, 2025August 11, 2025

Nowadays, heating oil prices are getting expensive. Especially so in the northeastern United States. This is often due to its ability to heat the home reliably and its capacity to produce a lot of heat. That can lead to high energy bills during the winter months of the year. If you’re afraid that prices are going up even more, then you might want to contact your heating oil company to lock in a price. But, should you? In this article, I’ll be answering whether or not locking in a price for heating oil is a good idea or not.

Varying Heating Oil Prices

How heating oil is priced, can tend to be pretty complex. The price per gallon is different depending on weather or not you’re using automatic delivery or call-by delivery. I discuss the major differences between them on our blog here. But it’s important to know that call-by is typically cheaper than automatic.

Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t sign up for automatic delivery. It’s very useful and convenient! However, it’s important to note that it’s more expensive than call-by is. You’ll end up paying more money annually than you should be for heating oil. But, keep your options open and I’m sure that you’ll end up finding a price that’s good for you!

Heating oil prices are expensive, so it’s important that you place an order when you absolutely need it and not just to top off your tank.

Heating Oil prices can vary depending on a multitude of different factors. One of the biggest reasons for this is what the dealer gets oil for at the pump. Like all businesses, they need to make a profit too. So what prices they charge depends on that first and foremost. However, global crises can impact pricing as well. COVID-19 is an example of this where oil was as low as it could get. Demand also plays a major roll in this. In the winter time, you’ll often see prices at their highest, because everyone wants heating oil to heat their home.

Market Pricing Through Automatic Delivery

If you’re going to go through Automatic Delivery, then understand that you’re going to be charged whatever the current rate is. This rate will usually depend on what the dealer sets it to. They’ll do this by taking the price that they pay for oil and adding an additional .80 to $1 per gallon. Now, it’s important that you understand that this is roughly 50 cents more than what you should be paying. Make sure you remember that if you want to order with automatic delivery. With automatic pricing, you will be locking a price per gallon, that is much higher than the base market price.

Market Pricing for Call-By Delivery

When you compare market pricing of call-by to automatic, call-by is usually always cheaper. This is because call-by delivery tends to be more competitive than automatic. It tends to be more competitive because you’re free to shop around for the best price. This incentivizes dealers to make the price per gallon lower, so that you buy their oil. These dealers want your business. Which is why they’ll mark down the price per gallon for will-call delivery. But, using helpful websites like FuelSnap, you’ll be able to get a better idea of what the best prices in your area are.

Fixing the Price Per Gallon: What some dealers will do is offer you a fixed price per gallon. How this works is you and your dealer will come to an agreement for a permanent price for your deliveries for a specific amount of oil. How much oil this regular scheduled delivery is depends on your yearly usage. However, while you’re locking in a price per gallon there might be additional fees mixed in there. This is why fixing a price per gallon tends to be a little bit of a double-edged sword. Even if the price decreases per gallon, you’re still going to have to pay the agreed-upon price with your dealer.

Capping a Price: Price capping tends to be a bit more enticing to the customer from the dealers end. What this pricing plan entails is that you’ll only have to pay up to a certain price. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, that’s because it is. With this plan, you have to pay a fee up-front, or the oil price becomes inflated. This means that they can simply charge you more to make a profit. Similar to fixing a price, if you cap a price and the price per gallon goes down, then you will still pay the capped price that you agreed on with your dealer. Your dealer is not required to drop the price if the price per gallon goes down.

Getting the Best Price Per Gallon

If you’re looking to save money on heating oil costs, then I highly recommend reading up on our article “The 10 Best Ways to Save On Heating Oil Costs”. There, I breakdown what the best ways are to save money on heating oil and break down which ways are best. But, when it comes to getting the best price per gallon, it’s safe to say that you should go with call-by delivery. This gives you the ability to shop around for the best prices available to you. But rest assured, when you order through call-by, you’re locking in a price. This means that after the order has been placed, the dealer CANNOT change the price per gallon.

If you decide to go with call-by delivery, then it’s best for you to go with our FuelSnap website. This is because we give you all the local dealers available to you on our program. You’ll be able to get the best price available to you on there! But, if you’re loyal to a particular dealer and they aren’t on there, please feel free to request them! You can also continue to order from them if you don’t want to order through FuelSnap!

But if you decide to do automatic delivery, we recommend that you pay the market price for it. Doing so will ensure that you don’t have to worry about extra fees or additional costs when you get your delivery! Just keep in mind that while this does give you a piece of mind, it can be more expensive and will cost you more money in the long run.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How Long Will a Tank of Heating Oil Last You?

November 10, 2025June 23, 2025

If you use heating oil as your main source of heat or you’re thinking of switching to heating oil, or you might be burning a lot of oil. Well then you might be asking yourself, “How Long will a Tank of Heating Oil Last Me?”. Well, while it might not seem like it there’s actually a lot of different contributing factors as to how long a tank of heating oil will last you. Don’t worry, because I’m going to break it all down for you below!

The Size of Your Home

One of the biggest contributing factors to how much oil you’ll burn and how quickly you’ll go through your tank can be determined by various factors of your home. Surface area plays a big part in this and can determine how quickly you lose heat. If there are a lot of windows or drafty doors, this gives heat more surface area for it to escape from.

The larger your home, the more oil you’ll burn. Your home’s size plays a major role in how much you’ll burn!

The shape and layout of your home also influences heat loss. Ranch style homes are prime examples of this because they have a larger outside surface area per square footage. Especially for a two-story home. The more surface area on a home, means the more places for heat to escape from the home. Think of it like using mittens and gloves. In colder weather, when you wear mittens your hands will be much warmer than if you were wearing gloves. This is because your fingers are all touching each other and there’s less room for the heat to escape. With gloves, because each of your fingers are in their own individual slots, the heat will have an easier time escaping your hands.

Home Insulation

How well your home is insulated plays a major roll in how much heat will escape your it. If your home is well insulated, then that means that your home has an easier time maintaining heat. This will result in your home holding heat for longer periods of time if your home has good insulation.

However, if your home doesn’t have good insulation, then you’ll have a harder time maintaining heat. This can cause your home to lose the produced heat much faster, which will often result in higher heating oil usage. Drafty windows and doors are big contributing factors in this, because they tend to be the most reasoning for heat escaping your home.

Good home insulation will help keep the heat in your home! This means that you’ll use let oil overall.

What Your Heating Oil Is Used For

This is a major reason for how quickly you’ll burn through heating oil. Depending on what you use your heating oil for will greatly impact how quickly you burn through it. If you use heating oil for just hot water, then you’ll often find that it’ll take you longer to burn through the oil in your tank.

However, if you’re using it for both heat and hot water, then you’ll most certainly burn through heating oil MUCH faster than you normally would. This is because the oil in your tank is being used for more purposes which will result in an increase in usage.

Exterior Temperature

The temperature outside plays a huge roll in how much oil you’ll use. If the outside temperature is hot, then you’ll often see yourself burning far less oil than if it was cold outside. If the outside temperature is average or moderate, you might only really be burning a gallon or two if even.

Your average heating oil consumption will look something like this. This chart takes multiple home sizes and outside temperature into affect.

The average day during the winter is roughly 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking the average home into account which is roughly 2500 square feet, you can expect to burn around 5 gallons per day during the winter. During the summer however, this is reduced down to .5-1 gallon per day.

Your Yearly Usage

Taking into account the above math, I’ve compiled a chart that will help you better grasp how much oil you’ll burn yearly. Now this might not be exactly how much you’ll be burning annually. But it’ll still give you a solid estimate as for how many gallons you’ll be expected to burn.

On average, this is how much you’ll burn per year depending on your tank size.

The Size of Your Tank

Now, while the size of your tank doesn’t directly impact how much oil you’re burning, it does affect how often you’ll need to order more oil. The smaller your tank is, and the more often you’ll have to order oil. The opposite to true when it comes to larger tanks. You won’t have to order as often, but you’ll typically have to order in larger quantities.

With that in mind, regardless of how many gallons your tank’s capacity is, you should always order when your tank is a quarter or 1/4 full. This gives the dealer plenty of time to fit you into their schedule and come out to deliver heating oil. While you can use all the oil in your tank, ordering at a quarter gives you enough of a safety net where you know you’ll get oil before you run out.

275 gallon tanks are the most common tank sizes. 330 gallon tanks are a close second.

Now on a 275 gallon tank, on average you should expect to use roughly five gallons of oil per day. So if you divide 5 by 275, then you’ll get 36. So you’ll have 36 gallons of oil to burn before your tank runs empty!

Other Minor Factors

Those are all the major factors to keep a look out for. But, there are still some minor factors that can play into how quickly you burn through your oil. This could be if the house is occupied all year or if it’s just a vacation home. Or maybe you like to keep your home at 60 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 70. That 10 degree difference will often save you from burning a couple gallons of oil!

How old your burner is and it’s condition will effect consumption as well. Older burners tend to burn much more oil than newer ones because they need to work a lot harder to burn the oil in the tank. The difference between a twenty year old furnace and a year old furnace is astronomical.

But regardless of how much your burning, or how big your tank size is, a Smart Oil Gauge will be able to drastically help your heating oil journey. You’ll be able to monitor your heating oil properly and have all of your level data and usage information at the palm of your hand! Being able to order oil from the app too is such a big help! Using the FuelSnap integration will be able to give you a leg up on ordering oil when you need it!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Heating Oil Delivery: The Step by Step Process

November 3, 2025June 20, 2025

To use heating oil in your home, you’ll have to get a delivery of it. But, you might be wondering how the tank filling process goes and how they fill your tank. Especially with a majority of home heating oil tanks being indoors, how does it get into the tank? Some of these tanks are even installed in really hard-to-access places, such as your crawl space.

Well, the nice thing is that dealers can fill your tank without even setting foot into your home! But how exactly does this work? This is all because the tank installed in your home has both a vent and fill pipe. These are essential for when it’s time to get a fill-up! These pipes are always located outside of your home. But the place as to where exactly they are located depends on your home and where the tank is. Each home is different after all!

Outdoor tanks are common nowadays. They provide easy accessibility for heating oil users, especially those that are using float gauges.

In this blog post, I’ll be covering all the different steps of the delivery process and how exactly it works!

The Components of your Tank

There are plenty of different styles of heating oil tanks. Some are larger, while others are smaller. But the interworking components of the tank will often be the same. The locations where these tanks are installed is usually the same as well. Either being indoors or outdoors. However, there are some rare instances where the tank is underground. If your tank is underground, I highly recommend removing it. I cover why exactly in this article here.

The fill and the vent pipes are some of the most important components when it comes to getting your tank fill-up. They extend from the top of your tank and will usually lead outside. These pipes have two different caps so that it’s easier for the driver to distinguish the difference between the two. The fill pipe has an unscrew able cap when compared to the vent cap that has a more rounded look to it, kind of like a mushroom cap.

These are the components of a heating oil tank. They all work in tandem with each other and will ensure your Smart Oil Gauge is accurate.

Another important component of your tank is the vent alarm or whistle. When the driver is filling your tank, the whistle will emit a loud whistling sound. That sound will alert the driver when it’s time to stop pumping oil in the tank. When the whistle stops making that sound, this means that the tank is full. It’s important to note that the dealer will not deliver to you if your tank’s vent alarm isn’t working.

How Many Gallons Should You Order?

The most important part of the delivery process is how many gallons that are going to be in your oil delivery. The dealer won’t be able to make the delivery without knowing how many gallons that they’ll be delivering. Plus, it’s nice to know exactly how many gallons oil you’ll be getting. Most of the time, you’ll end up ordering anywhere from 100-200 gallons of heating oil per delivery. However, this isn’t always the case if you’ve run out and need a fill up. If that’s the case, depending on your tank size the fill up could be vastly different. The driver will pump oil into your tank until they hear the whistle stop.

But how do you know how many gallons you’ll need to order and how many are in your tank? Well with the use of a tank gauge like the Smart Oil Gauge, you’ll be able to monitor your usage and get up to data readings of how many gallons are in your tank! Plus, you can even order oil through the app using our FuelSnap program.

Fill Pipe and Hose Connection

After the dealer receives your delivery ticket, they will know how many gallons they will need to deliver to you. They will schedule a time to come out and deliver your order to your home. When they arrive at your home, the driver will look for the fill pipe, which is located outside the home. If you know where it is, be sure to provide instructions on the order to where it is.

After locating the fill pipe, they will unscrew the cap and connect it to the truck’s hose. The driver will then go over to the truck and begin pumping oil into the tank. If your driveway is smaller, then the driver might park the truck on the street. But if your driveway is big enough, they will usually back up into your driveway for easy access to the fill pipe.

Pumping Oil Into the Tank

Once the driver finds the fill pipe, they’ll start pumping oil into the tank. For the driver to be able to start the flow of heating oil, the driver flips the nozzle of the hose, which allows heating oil to flow into your tank. But, they’ll usually only open the nozzle slightly to be able to properly hear the vent alarm. Otherwise, heating oil will start gushing into the tank! They do this to ensure that they’re not putting too much oil into the tank. Oil trucks can pump out a gallon of heating oil a second! So it’s important that they’re careful and pay attention!

Heating Oil trucks come equipped with a hose that connects to your fill pipe. This is how oil is put into the tank.

The driver will then start listening for the whistle. When the whistle stops blowing, the dealer will stop pumping oil into the tank. The trucks are metered, so when the delivery begins to reach your requested amount, the driver will stop pumping oil into the tank.

In the event of ordering a fill-up, the driver will keep filling the tank until they hear the whistle stop. This becomes a good indication that the tank has been filled and that the tank doesn’t require to be filled anymore.

The Order Slip

After the driver finishes the delivery, they will remove the nozzle of the hose from the fill pipe. Then, the driver will put the hose back into the truck. They will then begin preparing the delivery slip.

The order slip/delivery ticket, will now tell you various bits of important information. This will typically be the amount of oil that was delivered, the price per gallon, the amount ordered and sometimes how many gallons were already in the tank. Although, that tends to be pretty uncommon. This delivery slip is very useful especially during times where the tank wasn’t able to fit the requested amount. This gives an idea on the adjusted price and how much will be refunded to you.

Underground Tanks

In today’s day and age, these tanks tend to be very uncommon. But that doesn’t mean that these tanks don’t exist. These tanks are vastly different from above ground tanks, however, that can make deliveries a little bit more complicated. Unlike all above-ground tanks, there is no vent alarm on underground tanks. So oil companies will often have to stick-measure the tank first before making the delivery, and periodically stop the check and make sure that they aren’t over-filling the tank.

After the first stick measurement, the dealer will put roughly 100 gallons of oil into the tank before stopping. The driver will then go back over to the tank and stick measure it once again. Then, comparing it to the first reading, the driver will see if there’s a chance anymore oil can be put into the tank. If the tank can fit more oil, he’ll continue pumping. Otherwise, the driver stops filling the tank.

You can tell if your tank is underground buy looking for the vent and fill pipe sticking out of the ground like this.

However, on rare occasions, some drivers will carry around a special vent that’s designed to sit onto of the fill pipe. This special vent extends down to the tank underground to be able to determine when the driver needs to stop filling. Once the specialty vent threads into the fill pipe, the driver will know when they need to stop pumping.

Closing Thoughts

The process for an oil delivery is very straightforward. After placing the order, the dealer will come out and deliver your requested amount of oil into the tank. After making the delivery, the driver will go to the truck and will print out a delivery slip that has all the information regarding this delivery. Afterwards, you’ll know exactly how many gallons were delivered and at what price. If you’re on automatic delivery the driver will tell you exactly when they’ll be back out to deliver your next delivery. Otherwise, feel free to place another order once your tank level reaches one quarter.

If you’re curious about how the process goes visually, then feel free to ask the driver if you can watch! Most drivers are very friendly and will be happy to show you exactly what happens when they deliver the oil!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

The Different Types of Heating Oil Tank Gauges

October 27, 2025June 18, 2025

Nowadays, there are a lot of different ways to keep track of your heating oil level. However, the most important part of that is how you keep track of your heating oil. This could be either a float gauge, a stick, or even a Smart Oil Gauge. But most heating oil tanks come with a float gauge pre-installed on them. However, with the amount of gauges that there are to choose from, which one should you choose and why should you choose it? I’ll be going over all the different types of gauges and their benefits.

Using a Dipstick

The simplest way to measure your tank is by using a dip stick. Essentially, you open the fitting in your tank and put the dipstick in. Think of it like a large ruler, and after you stick your tank, you’ll get a reading in inches on the dipstick. This is as easy as sticking from one of the open fittings in your tank. But on tanks that are buried underground, you can stick the tank through the fill pipe. On underground tanks, this is your only option to measure the oil level.

Sticks will normally look like this. You can use these to take a measurement of the tank level inside the tank.

Important Note: If you have a buried oil tank, then you cannot use a regular gauge. You must stick the tank.

The Float Gauge

This is another very common way to measure the oil in your tank. These gauges are installed by default on your tank when you get it. They are metal arms connected to a cork bobber at the end that floats on the surface of the oil. The metal arms have a colorful disc at the end that will line up with a clear cylinder that has marks for the specific levels of oil. Now, it’s important to note that these gauges will only give an estimate and won’t always provide an accurate reading. They will only give you a rough estimate as to how much oil is in the tank.

A common float gauge will look like this. These gauges are standard on all heating oil tanks.

These gauges are very popular amongst heating oil users. They’ve been around for several decades and have shown to be very useful. But, over time these gauges can be less accurate. This is due to oil and sludge coating the bobber itself which can cause the gauge to read less oil than what’s actually in the tank. The sludge will actually bog down the bobber which can greatly affect the gauge’s accuracy. Due to that, these gauges need to be taken out frequently to be cleaned.

The Standard Smart Oil Gauge

The easiest and most modern way to monitor your tank level is with the Smart Oil Gauge! We have two different models. The standard and the Duo work similarly, but they have their differences. But both of these gauges can connect to your WIFI and upload both usage data and level readings to your phone through our app! Which means you can access your level data and usage from anywhere!

Standard Smart Oil Gauges will look like this. They have a white cap and a single sensor on the bottom.

Starting off with the standard model, this device has an operating range of 8″-72″ inches. This device is a single sensor device that has a 2″ NPT thread. Now, this device does have a little bit of a sensitivity when the tank is full, due to the single sensor. This means that when the oil is within the top 8 inches of the tank, the gauge won’t have enough room to send the signal properly. This can cause the device to read a little less than what’s actually in the tank. We have a more in-depth explanation of this on our website. You can find that here.

Now, we’ve fixed the sensitivity issue on the Smart Oil Gauge Duo. However, the standard Smart Oil Gauge can be used on fittings that are 1.25″ NPT. While the Duo cannot. So if your tank has a fitting of 1.25″ NPT, then you will need to use the Standard Smart Oil Gauge.

The Smart Oil Gauge Duo

This is our most recent sensor, and is currently our most accurate device. Like mentioned previously, this gauge doesn’t have a sensitivity when the tank is full. Instead, it’s got a dual sensor structure where one sensor sends while the other receives the signal. This makes the gauge’s operating range a little larger at 0″-72″ inches. So as long as the gauge is installed properly on the tank, the sensor will have no problem accurately reading the oil level.

Smart Oil Gauge Duos read the top 8-inches of the tank unlike the standard model thanks to it’s dual sensor.

Additionally, you can also take out the Duo’s interiors to troubleshoot incase you need to change the batteries or update the WIFI! So instead of having to go down to the tank location and staying down there to update the WIFI or swap out the batteries, you can go down to the tank location, take the interiors out and bring them upstairs or inside the home to do that!

Finally, like mentioned before, this device is not compatible with tank fittings that are 1.25″ NPT. This is due to the gauge’s sensor structure not being able to fit into a hole of that size. However, you can still use this gauge on Roth tanks and tanks that have a 1.5″ NPT fitting.

Which Gauge is best for you

Now, which gauge you use is up to you but also will often depend on your tank’s setup. For example, if your tank is buried underground outside, then your only option is the dipstick as it’s the only type of gauge that is accessible to underground tanks.

If you don’t mind going over to the tank to check it every so often, then the float gauge is good for you! This is preferred if your tank is easily accessible such as outside or in your garage. But if your tank is in a crawl space or somewhere that isn’t easily accessible, then the float gauge might not be best for you.

When comparing the three choices, the Smart Oil Gauge is the clear choice. But, your system might not be compatible with it.

Now, if your tank is not easily accessible or you’d rather have your level and usage data at the touch of your finger tips, then the Smart Oil Gauge is perfect for you! Having the device be able to conveniently read your level and report back to you when you need a fill up or when your tank is low is unparalleled! If you’d rather have a gauge with a larger operating range and easier to troubleshoot, then the Duo is for you! Otherwise, if you’re ok with the sensitivity that the standard model has, or your tank fitting is 1.25″ NPT, then the Standard Model is for you! But if you’re curious on what some other differences are, you can check out our article on those here!

Using this guide, you’ll be able to figure out and determine which gauge is right for you! Doing so will help you read and monitor your oil level and usage more efficiently!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

How it Works: Heating Oil

October 20, 2025June 17, 2025

In the Northeast United States, we see a large fluctuation in weather and temperatures. Each day during the fall and even the winter can have variations in temperatures. In winter, these fluctuations could be anywhere from below zero to the low 30s! This calls in our old friend, heating oil! How exactly does it work, and what is there to know? Well, sit back and read on, because I’m going to go through everything that you need to know about how it works!

Heating Oil: Step by Step

For heating oil to be able to heat your home, your system has to go through a process known as heat conversion. Now, this isn’t the only fuel that goes through this process. All forms of heating need to go through a conversion process of some kind before your home begins to warm up.

The first thing that needs to happen is heating oil needs to be delivered to your home. This is done by ordering online or through your local dealer and scheduling a time to deliver. The second step is for heating oil to go through the conversion process. Most of the time, it will go through your tank’s feed lines and go to the burner. Once in the burner, the heating oil undergoes the heating process. For heating oil, this is through atomization. This is the process of turning the liquid state of oil into a gas so that your burner can ignite it into fuel. The final step is your heating oil system distributing heat throughout your home. This can only be done after the oil has been converted into a gas.

This is a simplified version of how the heating process works.

The Popular Forms of Heating

While Heating Oil is the most popular way to heat your home in the northeast. There are several other popular ways to heat your home.

Heating Oil: This is the most popular way to heat your home in the northeast US. Heating Oil’s a form of deliverable fuels and will require your dealer to come out and deliver. To store heating oil, you’ll need to have a fuel tank. This oil tank can be found on your property, either indoors or outdoors. You can typically find them in basements, crawl spaces, or garages. This tank stores heating oil that will make it’s way over to your burner, where it then converts to heat. The nice thing about heating oil is that it burns really hot! It burns much hotter than natural gas and propane, which means that it’s easier to heat your home.

Propane: Similarly to heating oil, propane is a delivered fuel. This means that you will have to have a propane dealer come out and deliver it. You’ll also store your propane in a tank like heating oil. But unlike heating oil it’s restrictive. You can only get propane from a delivery by your provider. This makes it a little bit more expensive than both Heating Oil and Natural Gas. But, the nice thing about propane is that it’s very versatile! Other than for heat, you can use it for gas stoves, generators and even fireplaces!

Natural Gas: This is one of the best options for home heating, but it’s is not easily available. It is only available in places where there are networks of pipes below the home. These pipes will connect to your home from the street or network of pipes in your home. But the nice thing about Natural Gas is that it’s a utility, so you don’t have to worry about deliveries! You’ll be able to simply adjust it as needed and pay the bill when it comes! But on the downside, you cannot choose a provider.

Electric Heat: Electric heat is becoming more and more common. However, it is expensive! Much more expensive than heating oil. But it is useful in places where there are mild winters or as a backup heat source. You’ll often never see it in large homes because of how expensive it is.

Converting Oil to Heat

This process involves the oil in your tank moving to your burner of choice. This process involves turning it into a gas from a liquid state. On heating oil and propane tanks, the burner will need to ignite these gasses that get released from the gas lines. The gas is then moved into the burner where is ignites and turns into heat. Then after this, heat is evenly distributed throughout your home.

But it’s important to know that in it’s liquid state and at room temperature, heating oil is NOT FLAMMABLE. For it to become flammable and be able to ignite, it needs to be heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It then goes through a process known as atomization, which is the main process that converts heating oil into gas. After the oil goes through this process, it will move into the burner where it is then turned into heat and distributes around your home.

You might see these types of radiators around your home. These tend to link to a boiler or your electrical system.

Transferring Heat Through Your Home:

In today’s modern homes, the most common way to distribute heat throughout your home is by using a boiler. This heats up water and distributes it throughout your home. It then releases from the radiators and spreads out through your home.

Radiators are very common in homes in the northeast. There are both electrical radiators and non-electrical radiators. Non-electrical radiators tend to work with boilers and furnaces after your heating oil system has converted it into heat. All you have to do is adjust the thermostat and your system will change how much oil you’re burning or how hot you’re making the home. These systems aren’t very complex, but if you’re using electric, be careful as these can be expensive.

Forced hot air will often come out of these ducts. These ducts push the hot air into your home to keep it warm.

Forced Hot Air is becoming increasingly common nowadays. This is the process of your boiler heating air in the basement before the blower sends hot air throughout your home. There are ducts in the floor that connect to your boiler that pushes the hot air through. The hot air then distributes throughout your home. The nice thing about forced hot air is that during the summer, you can use it as an AC unit. This means that you can get both cooling and heating with Forced Hot Air!

Conclusion

Heating Oil is the most popular way to heat your home in the Northeast for a reason. The process on how it works is quite simple. Once you understand the basics of heating oil, you’ll become a pro! But, unlike Natural Gas or Forced Hot air, you might have a couple restrictions that can affect you when you order. This is typically dealer availability and pricings. But you do have a lot of freedom of when you can order unlike propane, which is much more restrictive.

While it’s expensive, automatic delivery is a very useful tool. Your dealer will come out and deliver to you over an agreed period of time that will help ensure that you don’t run out! This means that you don’t have to worry about when your next delivery will be! However, using a website like FuelSnap will ensure that you can get the lowest prices available to you!

Knowing your heating system is important for a variety of reasons. These can include when you need to order, how fast you burn oil and much more! Even if you’re not using heating oil, it’s good to familiarize yourself with your system so that you can plan accordingly!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

The Accuracy of your Tank Gauge

October 13, 2025June 11, 2025

All Heating Oil Tanks have a tank gauge. This gauge will tell you how much oil is in your tank. Whether or not your gauge is a standard float gauge or a Smart Oil Gauge will also play into the gauge’s accuracy. Why is this? Well, a lot of float gauges can get bogged down and coated in oil, which can affect their overall accuracy. Now you might be wondering which tank gauges are the most accurate? Well, don’t worry because I’ll be going over all that here!

What is a Float Gauge and How Does it Work?

The float gauge is a very simple tank gauge to understand. Basically, it’s a metal arm with a bobber at the end and the bobber will tell you how much oil is in the tank. The metal float arm connects to a cylinder with a colorful disc at the end. The colorful disc will line up with the marks on the cylinder to show you how much oil is in the tank. For example these cylinders usually have empty, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full tank marks. What displays depends on where the disc sits in the cylinder.

But as you use oil, you will slowly see your oil level go down. Meanwhile, when you get a fill-up, you will see the disc go up which will bring the reading on the cylinder to the full mark or even the 3/4 mark if you didn’t get a complete fill.

This is what the inside of a heating oil tank looks like. Like shown in the graph, the float arm moves up and down as it sits on top of the surface of the oil.

Reading Your Float Gauge

Reading the float gauge on your tank is relatively easy. The float arm connects to a colorful disc inside a plastic cylinder. Where the disc sits at depends on how much oil is in the tank. The bobber will sit on the surface of the oil, which is where you’ll find out how much oil you have in the tank.

But it’s important to note that float gauges are only an approximate reading. Float Gauges aren’t always completley accurate, especially the older that they get. On older float gauges, they’ll actually be less accurate because overtime, oil and sludge will coat the bobber causing it to read less than what’s really in the tank.

This is what a typical float gauge will look like. As you can see it has lines for the various different fill points of the tank.

Float gauges also normally don’t read for specific tank sizes. This means that if your tank is a 275 gallon or a 330 gallon, the float will not know which size it’s reading for. So be sure to keep that in mind when you are using the float gauge and be mindful for what size tank you have.

If you know your tank size, then you’ll be able to better understand what the float gauge is reading. All float gauges will normally have marks on their cylinder for “Empty”, 1/4, 1/2. 3/4 and “Full”. How many gallons exactly this is, will have to be determined by a stick measurement and a tank graph chart. You can use our tank calculator by following this link.

An important rule to follow when using these tanks is Always Order at a Quarter Tank. This will ensure that you have enough heating oil in your tank by the time your next delivery arrives.

Float Gauge Accuracy

Unfortunately, float gauges are not very accurate in the long-term. There are a few reasons for this, but there are two major reasons for this:

Age of the Float Gauge

After several years of using the float gauge, it will have sludge begin to build up on the bobber. This will weigh down on the bobber and cause it to be inaccurate. The bobber also might get caught on the sludge build up on the bottom of the tank. That can cause the gauge to be inaccurate as it reaches the bottom of the tank.

This is an example of what a float gauge coated in sludge looks like. This is what the bobber will tend to look like after being removed from the tank.

The bobber of the float gauge can get stuck on the bottom of the tank. However, it can also get stuck on the sides of the tank too. Overtime, the float gauge might move slightly in the tank, and what happens sometimes is the bobber of the float getting caught on the side of the tank.

Float Gauges aren’t aware of Tank Geometry

The arms of the float gauges are only meant to move up and down. Now because of this, they do not take the curvature of the tank into consideration. While the middle of the tank is straight up and down, the sides of the tank are curved. This means that there is actually less surface area in the tank than the float gauge might think. Due to this, once you start hitting the curved portions of the tank, the float will look like that you’re using a lot more oil than you actually are. But in actuality, there’s less oil within the bottom of the tank than you might think.

The Smart Oil Gauge

The Smart Oil Gauge is currently one of the best ways to monitor your heating oil tank. These devices are installed on top of your tank and operate off of an ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic sensor will bounce off the oil and go back up to the sensor to report. The nice thing about these devices is that they are able to accommodate for the curvature of the tank, unlike the float. This also means that if your tank is a specific size, you can program the Smart Oil Gauge to read for that tank size all by using a custom tank ID.

This is the standard Smart Oil Gauge model. It is a single sensor device that will pick up your tank’s level and send it back to the app where you can view it.

Tracking Your Usage with the Smart Oil Gauge

The Smart Oil Gauge is very useful and incredibly helpful. You’re able to track not only what your oil level is, but also your usage. Tracking your usage is very important for you to know when you need a delivery of heating oil and when you’ll need to order. The gauge will keep track of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly usage and level data. Here is just a small list of what exactly the gauge tracks:

Oil Usage (Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Yearly)
Days until 1/4 Tank
Days until 1/8 Tank
Receiving a Fill-Up
Abnormally High Usage
Total Gallons Used

The Accuracy of the Smart Oil Gauge

One of the most important things about the Smart Oil Gauge is it’s accuracy. The Gauge itself will read the level based on what size tank the gauge is setup for in the app. So upon setup of the gauge, it’s very important to understand what size tank you have. If your tank is a 275 gallon vertical tank, then the Smart Oil Gauge must be setup to read for that tank size or it will be inaccurate.

The most common tank sizes that the Smart Oil Gauge will be installed on are typically Granby 275 gallon, 330 Gallons and Roth 1000L tanks. Now it’s important that during setup of your Smart Oil Gauge that you select these as your tank sizes. Not doing this will cause the sensor to not be accurate when it is taking level readings.

The usage and level graph shown on the app will show you what your level is and your usage as you burn oil.

Finally, if you are using the gauge on a Roth tank, then you MUST get the Roth Adapter. These adapters are required for Roth installation because without them, the gauge is not going to read properly and the signal will hit the fitting causing it to read full. The Smart Oil Gauge sends it’s signal in a cone shape. So without the special guide cone, the gauge will not be able to properly send the signal into the tank.

Standard vs Duo Smart Oil Gauge

Unlike the float, we offer two kinds of Smart Oil Gauges. They are the standard model and the Duo model. These devices are each a little different, but function similarly.

The standard Smart Oil Gauge is a single-sensor device. This device can only operate from 8″-72″. This is due to a slight sensitivity that the device has when the tank is full. When the tank is full, there isn’t enough room to send the signal properly. This can cause the gauge to read less oil than what’s actually in the tank after a delivery. We have an in-depth explanation about this on our website. I am providing a link to that here. Additionally, unlike the Duo, you cannot remove the boards from the gauge, as this will cause the device to be unable to communicate with the sensor.

This is a side by side as to what each gauge offers. Both gauges have their differences that make them both useful!

However, the Smart Oil Gauge Duo is currently our most accurate sensor. It has a larger operating range of 0-72″, unlike the standard model. This means that even after a fill-up, the device will be reading accurately. Additionally, you can take the interiors of the gauge out to troubleshoot in case you need to swap out batteries or update your WIFI credentials! If you’re interested on the differences between the two, you can read our article on their differences here.

Which Gauge Is More Accurate?

When comparing the two gauges together the Smart Oil Gauge is definitely the more accurate device. This is mostly due to the float becoming less accurate over time as it gets bogged down and coated in sludge and oil. Float gauges also can get their bobbers stuck on the sides or bottom of the tank which can cause it to not read correctly.

But the Smart Oil Gauge is very accurate. As long as it’s setup for the correct tank size, you’ll be able to know exactly how much oil is in your tank at any given moment! While the standard model has a little bit of a sensitivity at the top of the tank, the Duo doesn’t which makes it much more accurate than even the standard model! Just make sure that you either replace your float with this gauge or have an extra fitting to install it in!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

Which Tank is Better: Granby or Roth

October 6, 2025June 10, 2025

If you’re in the market for a new heating oil tank, or you’re thinking of buying one for your new home, you’re in the right place. Granby and Roth are the two most popular brands and tank styles when it comes to new tanks. They each have their own benefits and drawbacks, but which one is better?

Typically, you’ll need to replace your tank every 10-30 years. Most heating oil tanks will last quite a long time. However, if you properly maintain it then they will last so much longer than that!

In this article, I’ll be covering what you need to know to replace your tank. I’ll be covering both of the Granby and Roth tanks and what you need to know with either of these.

How a Fuel Tank Works

Before you make a decision on what kind of tank you should purchase, it’s very important to know how it works. When you receive a delivery, the dealer will access your fill pipe. Dealers will have to connect their delivery hose to the fill pipe outside. This is so that the dealer can pump oil into your tank.

Next to the fill pipe is a vent pipe, this is for airflow. This airflow also prevents pressure from building up, which can cause a lot of damage to your tank and system if there isn’t proper ventilation. However, the vent pipe also has a unique vent alarm. It’s similar to a whistle and will alert the driver when to stop pumping. When filling up, the whistle will emit a loud whistling sound.

This is a chart on how heating oil tanks work. The float arm measures the amount of oil in the tank while the fill and vent pipes help airflow.

Your tank also has a set of feedlines that connect it to the burner. The system will draw from the feed lines and transport oil from the tank to the burner. Then, once the oil has reached the burner, it goes through ionization and converts into gas. This then causes it to turn into heat. The feed lines are commonly on the top or bottom of the tank. However, feed lines on the top won’t normally reach the bottom. This is is similar to a straw that doesn’t reach the bottom of a cup. For top fed feed lines, there will still be a couple of gallons left in the tank when it’s “empty”. On a 275 gallon tank, this will tend to be around 30 gallons.

Granby Heating Oil Tanks

These tanks will typically have four fittings on the top of the tank. However, how many of these fittings are available will depend on your tank’s setup. Typically, two fittings are always occupied. Those are the fill and the vent pipes. These are requirements on all oil tanks. This is so that you can get fill-ups and air can properly flow throughout the tank. The other fittings are occupied by either the feed lines or the float gauge. However, sometimes the float gauge will be in combination with your vent and the feed lines will sometimes be located on the bottom of your tank. Depending on your setup, this means that you’ll have anywhere from 0-2 available fittings on your tank.

Heating oil tanks will often look like this and will be commonly installed indoors. However, tanks will occasionally be installed outdoors like the above example.

Granby tanks have a large variety of tank sizes to choose from. They have tank sizes anywhere from 138 gallons to 330 gallons. Most of the time, these tanks will either be in horizontal or vertical orientations. The orientations of these tanks are designed so that they can fit in compact places such as a crawl space or the corner of your garage.

Granby tanks are also able to have multiple tanks installed alongside each other. The nice thing about having multiple tanks is that they’re easy for the installer to set up. All that they have to do is add some additional components and pieces to your existing system and then you’ll have multiple tanks! This gives you the ability to order and store more oil! You can check heating oil prices by going to our FuelSnap website.

The Smart Oil Gauge on a Granby Tank

Granby tanks are of the most common tank sizes that we see the Smart Oil Gauge installed on. This due to a mixture of the tank being so common in homes as well as the convenience of majority of these tanks having a standard 2″ NPT fitting. This not only makes installation easy, but it makes setting the tank size easier as well. The Smart Oil Gauge defaults to a standard 275 gallon vertical tank when you initially set it up! So if your tank is that size, then you don’t have to worry about your gauge having the wrong tank size or reading incorrectly!

The Smart Oil Gauge should be installed on your Granby tank like this. Make sure that there are 4-6 threads showing.

Roth Double-Wall Tanks

Roth tanks are typically double wall tanks. Meaning that inside of the steel tank, there’s a plastic tank. These tanks are leak proof, so if the interior plastic tank fails, then the steel exterior tank will catch it and prevent the tank from leaking completley. The great thing about these tanks is that plastic doesn’t rot or corrode. This means that the likelihood of your tank leaking is very low.

These are all the different types and models of Roth tanks. There is an interior plastic tank that the oil is stored in. But if that tank fails, the exterior steel tank will catch the oil.

Now, comparing these tanks to Granby tanks, these tanks also tend to be much lighter. The lighter Roth tanks make it easier to move them into your garage and basement. Additionally, these tanks have most of their mass in height. So they don’t take up as much space as a Granby! However, not all installers have experience with Roth tanks. Due to this, they will try to persuade you into getting a Granby tank.

Similar to a Granby Tank, these tanks are equipped with 4 fittings on the top of the tank. However, they are usually all setup the same unlike the Granby tanks. These tanks will have a fitting used for the fill, vent, feed lines and the tank gauge. Now unlike Granby tanks, Roth can’t have the feed lines connected on the bottom of the tank. This is because installing the feed lines into the Roth tank’s bottom will destroy the two tanks, making them useless. The feed lines will always be set up on the top of the tank.

Smart Oil Gauge on Roth Tanks

If you have a Smart Oil Gauge and want to put it on a Roth tank, it’s a little different than Granby. The biggest difference is the type of adapter you’ll need. The Smart Oil Gauge requires a an adapter for Roth tank installations. This is because without the Roth adapter, the gauge is going to be reading only full. The adapter is required because it helps the gauge send the signal properly. Without the adapter, the signal will bounce off the tank’s fitting and cause the gauge to read only full because it’s going to think that the fitting is the surface of the oil.

This is how a Smart Oil Gauge is installed on a Roth tank. It’s very important for your Smart Oil Gauge to have the Roth Adapter when on this tanks so that it can be accurate.

In terms of compatibility, the Smart Oil Gauge is compatible will all Roth tanks EXCEPT the Roth 1500L (400 Gallon). This tank has an interior support baffle that prevents the gauge from reading beyond half. Unfortunately, there is no way around this as the baffle goes right through the middle of the tank. The gauge will not work on a Roth 1500L.

As mentioned above, the Roth adapter is a requirement for all Roth tank installations. However, because there are two models (the Smart Oil Gauge Duo and the Standard Model Smart Oil Gauge) you will need to purchase the correct adapter. You can purchase them both on our website. However, to ensure you purchase the right adapter for your model, I’m linking them below separately.

Smart Oil Gauge DUO Roth Adapter

Standard Smart Oil Gauge Roth Adapter

Which Tank Should You Choose?

To be able to better help you come to the decision on which tank you should buy, I’ve included a chart that compares both the Granby and Roth tanks. Roth tanks tend to be a little bit more money. However, you’re really paying for the security and durability. But, the nice thing about Roth tanks is that they come with a 30-year warranty included. But, there aren’t a lot of installers who know how to install these tanks.

To wrap up, going with what you personally prefer will tend to greatly impact your decision. Now, I should specify that both tanks are FANTASTIC options. If you’re in the need of a new tank, then sticking with what you have will usually be the easiest thing to do. This will tend to make the cost of labor cheaper as well as making the job for the HVAC technician much easier!

If you want a tank that’s taller and takes up less space, then getting the Roth is the way to go. Their warranty might even sway your decision making! But with the Granby, you’ll get access to the class heating oil tank that’s been used for years! But if you want a reliable gauge that will tell you how much oil is in your tank and what your usage is at the touch of your fingers, then getting a Smart Oil Gauge is what you’ll want! You’ll be able to order oil when you need it and will be able to monitor your level and usage!

Happy Heating,

Hunter

When to Order Heating Oil

September 29, 2025June 5, 2025

The question of when you should order oil is pretty troubling. When you are placing an order for oil, there are two questions that you should ask yourself. Those being “How much do I order?” and “Who do I order from?”. However, there’s another question that is often asked. That being “When should I order?”. Now this is probably the most important question that you should ask yourself when you’re thinking about ordering. If you order too late, then you might run out. But if you order too early, your tank might not be able to fit your whole order. But what happens when you order at a certain price per gallon, but then it goes up or down? Well, don’t worry, because I’m going to answer all these questions for you!

Heating Oil: What to Know

How heating oil works is very easy to understand. The bare bones of it is that heating oil is stored in a tank in your home. It is commonly stored inside or outside. This tank is connected to your burner/furnace by feed lines. These feed lines are typically located on either the top or bottom of your tank. Your system will draw oil from the tank and bring it to the furnace where it is then ionized and converted into a gaseous state, where it then is then turned into heat!

Heating Oil is stored in a tank like the one above. They can be in all different shapes and sizes.

Heating Oil is also known as a delivered fuel. This means that you’ll need to have it delivered to your home periodically. This is to ensure that your home continues to be heated as well as to prevent any damage to your system. You’ll often need to contact a Heating Oil company to come out and deliver to your home. Unlike propane, you have the freedom to order from who you want and when you want.

When to Order

When you should order really depends on your current heating oil situation. If you just got a fill-up a couple of weeks ago, then you don’t need to order oil. But if you haven’t ordered oil in a while and you’re almost out, then ORDER ASAP. Typically, we recommend ordering oil when your tank is at a quarter tank. This will give you enough time to contact your dealer and schedule a day and time to come out and deliver.

But what about during the summer or winter months? In the winter months, when heating oil is in demand, it’s important that you order whenever you get the opportunity. During this time of year, dealers are often at their busiest. This makes it harder to get oil. Especially last minute if you’re getting very low! Luckily, putting diesel in your tank to hold you over until your delivery arrives. But you shouldn’t rely on it. But ordering oil when you’re at a quarter tank is crucial during this time of year.

This is what happens when you get a tank filled up. The driver will go out to your fill pipe and fill your tank from there.

Now during the summer, things get a bit more lenient. This is when demand for heating oil is at a yearly low. This means that prices tend to be lower and dealers have more availability. Plus, you’re not really going to burning a lot of oil during this time of year because you’re not going to be turning on the heat. A lot of heating oil users will buy oil during this time of year because it’s at it’s cheapest! Then, they won’t burn any oil until September because of the warm weather!

Avoiding Runout

Now, running out of oil is not fun. It is frustrating, and waking up to a cold home in the middle of winter is not a fun experience. If this has happened to you recently, the very first thing you should do is order heating oil. This will put you on the schedule with your dealer and will ensure that you have a delivery of heating oil that’s on the way! Next, run to your nearest gas station and buy 5-10 gallons of diesel. Luckily diesel is similar enough to heating oil which allows you to use it in emergencies to hold you over until your next delivery.

Whether you’re using a Smart Oil Gauge or a Float Gauge, you’ll want to order oil when your tank reaches the quarter mark. On Smart Oil Gauges, you’ll be notified when your tank is low. The gauge will send you an alert on your phone via push notifications. If you have email and text alerts enabled, you’ll get those too! But, the float gauge doesn’t have that luxury. Instead, you’ll have to go down to the tank gauge and look at it. If the float’s disc is at the 1/4 mark, then it’s time to order oil!

Putting a couple of gallons of diesel in your tank will help you out in an emergency. This is because you’ll prevent your tank from running out!

Waiting until the last minute to order heating oil is never a good idea. This is because, similarly to what I mentioned earlier, it can sometimes take a little while to get your delivery. Placing an order when your tank is at the 1/4 mark puts you in a safe range for when your delivery will arrive. On the average 275 gallon tank, this can be roughly 70 gallons in your tank. During the winter, you could see yourself burning anywhere from 3-5 gallons per day. This gives you plenty of time before needing to place an order.

Getting the best Price Per Gallon

Fluctuating prices for heating oil can make it hard to find the right time to order. Usually during the summer they tend to be at their lowest, while in the winter prices are at their highest. Naturally you’ll want to order oil when it’s at it’s lowest price. However, how do you find out what are the prices for heating oil. Well you can do this by shopping around at local dealers in your area. Calling them will help you get an understanding as to how much they are charging per gallon. Now, dealers can charge whatever they’d like per gallon.

Using a website like FuelSnap will help you shop around and get the best prices available to you!

Now, how does this affect an order you’ve already placed? Well the good news is that once you’ve placed an order for heating oil, you’re typically locked into that price per gallon. This can be a double-edged sword though because this means that if the price goes up or down, you’re still paying the price on your order. So if you place an order for $2.50 per gallon for example, and the price goes down to $2.45 per gallon, you’ll still be paying the $2.50 per gallon price.

But, when your tank is at 1/4 and you order oil online you’ve actually given yourself a bit of an advantage. Most dealers will have a minimum delivery of 100 gallons, but on a 275 gallon tank, you’ll actually be able to get 150 gallons when you order at a quarter tank. With a majority of dealers as well, the more you order, the better price you’ll get per gallon!

Monitoring your Usage

It’s very important that you have a working oil gauge! Whether that be the Smart Oil Gauge or the Float Gauge! This is because you have to have a working gauge so that you can stay on top of when you need to order and to know what your tank’s level is at! Using a Smart Oil Gauge will give you a big leg up on the float gauge, because you can be anywhere and be able to check your tank level! Thanks to the Smart Oil Gauge’s ultrasonic sensor, your gauge will be able to tell you how many gallons of heating oil you have! But, just make sure that your gauge is set up for the right tank size.

Using a Smart Oil Gauge will help you monitor your heating oil usage and level just at the tip of your fingers!

Float gauges are still useful too! They just require you to be a little bit more on top of your tank. You’ll still have to go down periodically to check what the float gauge is reading. This will help you understand how many gallon you have left and when you’ll need to order! But, just be aware that float gauges can get stuck on the side of the tank as well as become coated in sludge and oil which can prevent the gauge from reading accurately.

Order at a Quarter

Ordering Heating Oil when your tank is at a quarter tank is easily the best time for you to order heating oil. This is because this will give you the biggest safety net while you wait for your next delivery! But, if you forget check your oil and you’re low, order ASAP! You’ll want to make sure that your heating oil tank has oil in it so that your system doesn’t get damaged. If you want to order oil during the summer when prices are low, then absolutely do that! That will get you all prepared for the winter season! Just be sure to be on top of your usage and oil level and you’ll be a pro at gauging when you need to refill.

Happy Heating,

Hunter

What is the Correct Adapter for your Smart Oil Gauge?

September 22, 2025June 3, 2025

With our implementation of the Smart Oil Gauge Duo, there are now twice as many adapters to choose from. However, it’s important to know that the Smart Oil Gauge Duo and the standard Smart Oil Gauge, have different adapters due to their different sensor structures. But which adapter is best for you?

These are the types of Adapters that we have. There are different models for your different model of Smart Oil Gauges

It’s important to note that standard off-the-shelf adapters that you can buy from Home Depot or Lowe’s WILL NOT work on our Smart Oil Gauge devices. This is because those adapters do not accommodate for our device’s signal. So any off the shelf adapters will cause the gauge to read only full. Due to this, it’s important that you purchase an adapter through us. Don’t worry, I’ll be covering all of our available adapters and how to use them.

Smart Oil Gauge Dimensions

The body of the Smart Oil Gauge is really just a short pipe that is threaded on both ends. This makes it so that it can thread into your tank while allowing the cap to thread onto the top. The gauge’s threads are a standard 2″ NPT pipe. This equals to around 2.375 inches. So if you’re measuring your fitting and it comes to larger than 2″, then don’t worry! You are perfectly fine as long as the fitting of your tank isn’t larger than 2.375 inches. NPT standard for National Pipe Thread, and these fittings are actually tapered. Meaning that the further down they go the tighter they get. These allow for a tight seal between the gauge and the tank.

The actual threads of the gauge are larger than 2″ because that’s actually referring to the inner diameter of the piping itself. So while your fitting’s diameter will be a total of 2.375″, your gauge will have a 2″ NPT that will allow it to properly thread on your tank.

Now, with the cap screwed onto the sensor, the outer dimensions are 2.8″ x 2.8″ x 5.3″. If you want the interiors of the gauge to be easily accessible to swap out the batteries and to troubleshoot, then I recommend leaving at least 6.2″ of head room. This will make it easy for you to swap out the batteries or troubleshoot when needed.

Where Do You Install the Smart Oil Gauge?

The Smart Oil Gauge must be installed on the top of the tank. It should be installed directly onto the tank’s fitting and must be flush with the tank. This will ensure that the gauge is able to send out the signal properly and that nothing will interfere with the gauge’s ability to read. If you don’t have any extra fittings for the gauge to be installed, you will need to remove the float gauge from the tank and install the Smart Oil Gauge where it was.

This is how the gauge should be installed onto the tank. It must be installed onto the tank’s fitting itself. It **CANNOT** be installed on a raised fitting or T-Pipe.

If you have a combined vent pipe that includes the float, you CANNOT install the gauge where that float is. The fitting for it is not only too small, but if you somehow managed to install it, the gauge will only read full because the signal would be hitting the bottom of that fitting. We have various guides on how to install the Smart Oil Gauge on both Granby and Roth tanks. Following those guides will help you get your Smart Oil Gauge installed!

Additionally, DO NOT install the gauge on a raised fitting or raised pipe. The reason for this is due to how the sensor sends out the signal. The gauge sends out the signal in a cone shape. So on a raised fitting, the gauge’s signal will bounce off the sides of the pipe, which would cause the gauge to only read “Full”.

Different Adapters Between Standard and Duo

It’s important to know that the standard Smart Oil Gauge and the Smart Oil Gauge Duo have different sensor structures. This means that they require different adapters. There are two types of adapters for the Duo model, while the standard has three.

If you go onto either amazon or our website, you will see that we have a few adapters. For the Smart Oil Gauge duo, you can get the Duo Roth Adapter if you have a Roth tank. If you have a Granby tank, you can use the 1.5″ Duo adapter if you don’t have a standard 2″ NPT fitting. However, there is no 1.25″ adapter for the Smart Oil Gauge Duo. This is because the Duo’s sensor is too large to fit into the small hole of that fitting size.

Now the standard model has three adapters. Similar to the Duo, there are adapters for 1.5″ NPT fittings and Roth tanks. There is also the 1.25″ NPT fitting adapter for the Standard Smart Oil Gauge. If you have a fitting of that size, you must use the standard model, and you cannot use the Duo.

Tank Compatibility

While the Smart Oil Gauge is compatible with a large majority of Roth tanks. There is one model of Roth tanks that the gauge cannot work on. Those are the Roth 1500L (400 Gallon Tanks). The reasoning for this is because of an interior support baffle on the inside of the tank. This baffle prevents the tank from caving in on itself due to the amount of oil in the tank. The Smart Oil Gauge will not be able to read beyond half a tank on these tanks in particular because of that support baffle.

These are various Roth tank sizes. The gauge is compatible with all Roth tanks except Roth 1500Ls.

Additionally, tanks that have fittings that are larger than 2″ NPT cannot have the gauge installed. The reason for this is because there are no adapters for those sizes in particular. You could use an off the shelf adapter, but as I mentioned earlier, those adapters do not accommodate for the gauge’s signal.

The Available Adapters

We have a variety of adapters for both the Standard Smart Oil Gauge and the Smart Oil Gauge Duo. There are versions for both the Duo and the Standard Model. However, as mentioned previously, there is no Duo Adapter for 1.25″ NPT fittings. But, if your tank is older or an uncommon size, you’re more likley to need an adapter.

1.5″ NPT Adapters

These adapters are the most common adapters. Next to the standard 2″NPT fitting, these are the second most common tank fittings. The outside exterior for these are roughly 1.9″.

You can purchase the adapter for standard devices here.

You can purchase the adapter for Duo devices here.

Roth Adapters

These adapters are required for Roth installation. If you have an eligible Roth tank, then you MUST use this adapter. Without this adapter, the gauge will not be able to properly send the signal, which will result in the gauge only reading full.

You can purchase the Roth Adapter for standard gauges here.

You can purchase the Roth Adapter for Duo gauges here.

1.25″ Adapter

These fittings sizes are pretty uncommon on a lot of newer tanks. Newer tanks will usually have a 2″ NPT fitting. But if you have an older tank, you’ll likely need this size adapter. There is no 1.25″ NPT Fitting adapter for Duo gauges.

You can purchase this adapter here.

Using this tank fitting graph, you’ll get an idea of if your fitting will need an adapter for the gauge.

Setting Up a Sensor Offset

After you’ve setup your gauge with your correct adapter, you will need to setup a “Sensor Offset”. This is because when you are using an adapter, it raises up the gauge by an inch. When this happens, you’ll want to make sure that your gauge is accurate. Without an offset enabled, your gauge will not be accurate. You can enable the offset by following these steps: Settings >> Tank Style >> Advanced >> Sensor Offset. Luckily, the offset only needs to be set to 1.0 for one inch. That is how high the adapter will raise your sensor. Setting the offset will tell the gauge to ignore the first inch of readings. That way the sensor accommodates for the raising of one inch.

Once in the “My Tanks” setting on the app, follow the steps above to change your offset.

Conclusion

Now based on which gauge you have will determine the adapter that you need to purchase. It can be a little confusing with all the different adapters, but if you follow this guide, you’ll be able to get the right adapter for your Smart Oil Gauge! But, don’t think that you absolutely need an adapter! If your tank is a non-Roth tank and has a 2″ fitting, then you don’t have to worry about getting an adapter! But if you need help installing the adapter or you’re not sure where to go from here, please let us know!

You can contact our support whenever you need help! We are available Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm EST at 203-456-1499 option 3!

Happy Heating,

Hunter