Today, service contracts are a common thing with oil companies. Sometimes they’ll even sign you up for automatic delivery as part of your service contract. However, what they don’t end up telling you is that there are a lot of strings attached to these contracts. There’s a saying that if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. So what are some of these “untold truths”?
Claiming it’s Automatic Delivery Only
When signing up for automatic delivery, you’ll often get the option to sign up for a service contract alongside it. They might try to scare you by saying, “Ordering from another dealer will put bad or waste oil into your tank. Placing an Order through us is the safest option”. But in reality, that’s false. There are thousands of dealers that are honest and reliable that you can order from! But if you’re still hesitant, feel free to check their reviews! That’s a good habit to get into before purchasing anything, not just oil! Additionally, DO NOT order from anonymous online dealers.
Something that you should definitely keep in mind is that there are a lot of dealers who offer service plans without the requirement of ordering oil from them! Dollarwise, for example, provides an annual maintenance plan that you can sign up for that doesn’t require you to order oil from them! They offer a lot with their service plan; this includes annual system cleanings, tune-ups, and even more! If you’re interested, I suggest contacting Dollarwise to get more information!
Out on Long Island, Ryan Anthony’s Heating Service is another popular one. Amongst their customers, they’re very highly rated. They’ll also offer service contracts without the need to order oil from them! As the months go by, you’ll have to pay a small monthly fee if you’ve signed up for their maintenance plan. However, similar to Dollarwise, you can shop around and aren’t required to order from them! This’ll end up saving you more money in the long-term!
The Truth Behind “Free Service Contracts”
Have you ever heard the phrase “There are no Free Lunches?” It means that everything comes with a cost, even if you don’t think so! The same can be said about “Free Service Contracts”. Which can sometimes have hidden fees! Automatic delivery, for example, tends to cost .50 cents extra per gallon! In Connecticut, we’ve seen automatic delivery prices be increased by as much as a dollar! Although this is not very common. However, at the time of writing, oil prices are through the roof right now! I’m going to do a quick little math equation for you below!
- Say your home uses around 800 gallons of oil yearly.
- Let’s say that for automatic delivery, you’re paying an additional .60 per gallon.
- That so-called “Free Service Contract” might cost you 800 X .60 = $480
If you’re spending that much money a year on a “Free Service Contract”, then you might as well put that money towards system maintenance!
24/7 Support is Only Available with a Service Contract
Annual maintenance for your HVAC system is crucial for a well-functioning system. Getting an annual tune-up is a good thing to ensure your system is functioning as intended. However, you might want to do a quick search on Google to find the best-qualified dealers in your area. This is to make sure that the providers in your area are reliable and trustworthy. Checking their reviews is a good way to weed out the good and the bad providers. If you think that they seem reputable and have good reviews, it’s not a bad idea to reach out and see if you can sign up for a service contract! This’ll not only help create a relationship between you and the dealer, but it’ll put you on good terms with them!
However, you might be wondering if emergency services are expensive. In short, it is expensive! But, you do a little bit of quick math, spending around $500 every couple of years instead of an extra $480 annually, is much better. For that reason, you might just be better off not having a service plan. Although if your heating system is a bit on the older side, then signing up for a service plan might just be beneficial to prevent your system from regularly breaking down. But, you might as well just upgrade to a newer system at that rate!
Concluding Thoughts
At the end of the day, ensuring that your family is warm during the winter months should be your top priority! The best way to do this is to ensure that your system is well-maintained! Getting a service plan will help you stay on top of your system’s maintenance! Just make sure to do your research and go with a reliable and reputable company!
Just make sure that you don’t fall into the Automatic Delivery trap! You’ll want to find a company that you’re able to speak with freely and that’ll allow you to look around for a delivery. Especially if it’s an emergency and they cannot get to you quickly. In the long-term, you’ll save so much money by doing call-by only delivery. Plus, using the combination of a Smart Oil Gauge and FuelSnap will put you at an advantage compared to others!
Happy Heating,
Hunter
