Safely Delivering Oil or Propane to Your Home During Inclement Weather Conditions

At SOS Xtreme Comfort our primary concern is your comfort and safety, and under no circumstances do we ever want to endanger you, our team, or damage your property. On occasion, our drivers will decide to not deliver because of inclement weather, snow or ice. Our automatic delivery system provides a safety buffer of many days so that if inclement weather exists, the delivery can simply be made a few days later when conditions improve. There are, however, some conditions that do require intervention by a homeowner so that a safe delivery may be made. Here is a summary of the important things you’ll need to know to ensure safe heating oil deliveries to your home during inclement weather conditions.

IMPORTANT

If we are unable to get up your driveway with an oil truck, likely, an Ambulance or Fire Truck will not be able to get up it either! Don’t take a chance with your home or your family’s safety, regularly plow and sand your driveway!

Sanding your driveway

Whenever a request is made to have a driveway sanded, it should be done so by a professional plowing and sanding contractor. In the case of an inclined driveway that is covered with ice, it may take a yard or more of sand to adequately cover the area needed. In some cases, we have had homeowners attempt to sand driveways by themselves applying a bucket or two of sand, which will not adequately result in safe passage.

Driveway width

The heating oil delivery truck requires a driveway approximately 10 feet wide, and sharp corners plowed to at least 18 feet wide to accommodate the turning radius of the truck.

Backing up the driveway

Very often homeowners will ask us why the truck backs in, instead of driving straight in. The reason for this is that the liquid load of the truck shifts to the downhill side. If the truck were to drive up a hill straight in, the steering tires would have virtually no weight on them, and could potentially cause the vehicle to slide out of control if it encounters ice on the driveway.

Inclined driveways

An oil truck cannot park on an incline unless it is perfectly dry, and wheel chocks can be applied safely. If the inclined driveway is perfectly dry, the truck could be pulled up partially and parked, provided the inclination is less than 5°.

Improving delivery accuracy

During bad weather or with a storm encroaching, please check your tank regularly. Please notify us of any changes to your home or household that may impact oil usage, such as increased residents or additions/basement refinishing.

Clearing a path to the fill pipe

It is dangerous to have our crew members struggle through any amount of snow pulling a 150 ft hose. Even the smallest snowfall amounts can cause slippery conditions. If a clear path to the fill pipe isn’t made, you will have to reschedule your delivery.

SOS Xtreme Comfort truly appreciates your efforts to help keep our delivery drivers and technicians safe in inclement weather conditions.

Partnership Kickoff!⚽

We are Xtremely Proud to announce our exclusive partnership with Hudson Sports Complex, Fox Soccer Academy, and to be Founding Sponsors of FSA PRO!

We are so excited that we have the chance to partner with such a fantastic facility and youth training programs right here in the heart of the Hudson Valley, beautiful Warwick NY.

At SOS we believe in Hudson Sports Complex and all of their available training programs and activities.

Those programs, including Fox Soccer Academy, are a great step in helping to produce fantastic young athletes, team building and youth leadership in our local towns and cities.

 

In addition, our Founding Sponsorship with FSA PRO is an exciting endeavor for us as it will highlight some of the most skilled professional soccer players from the Hudson Valley and Northern New Jersey as they play against UPSL pro teams from Philadelphia, Massachusetts and beyond.

 

 

Learn More

 

Learn More

 

Get Tickets!

March HVAC Maintenance Guide

Just like any critical piece of equipment, your heating and cooling systems require regular HVAC maintenance to keep them running properly. Home and business owners should stay on top of maintenance tasks year-round to improve system performance and efficiency. 

Check Your Air Filter

During periods of heavy heating system use, the filter should be inspected monthly to make sure it has not become full of contaminants. You may find it necessary to replace it sooner than the 3-month mark during these times, so have a replacement ready just in case. To order replacement filters you can go to FilterFetch.com and use this unique SOS reorder code: C4UR.

Inspect Your Vents

Inspect all registers and return air grilles in your home to ensure they have not been blocked or shut. These vents should never be blocked, as doing so will restrict airflow through your HVAC systems, which could create performance issues and system overheating. Move all carpets and rugs, furniture, and other items away from vents. Check to see that vent louvers are open; if you wish to shut off heating to unused areas of your home or building, never close more than 20 percent of the structure’s HVAC vents. If you have many unused areas, consider investing in a zoning system which will allow you to reduce energy waste while facilitating proper HVAC system performance

Clear Around Heating Equipment

Keep the area surrounding your heating equipment clear. Never store items directly by the furnace, especially flammable or combustible material such as rags, wood, gasoline, paint, solvent, and cleaners.

Check Your Detectors

Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly throughout the heating season. Test batteries each month, using the unit’s TEST button. Vacuum away any dust which has accumulated on the detectors.

Lucky Fact:According to legend if a human catches a leprechaun that leprechaun must grant that human three wishes in exchange for his freedom.

Clear Away Ice & Snow

Keep exterior vents and chimneys clear of ice and snow. Flue pipes allow the heating process’s combustion byproducts to exit the home or building safely a blockage could cause carbon monoxide to leak indoors. Fresh air intake piping should also be cleared for proper ventilation.

Need Heating Service? Call SOS Xtreme Comfort!

SOS Xtreme Comfort offers installation, repair, and maintenance services for boilers, furnaces and more throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Count on our certified and licensed heating specialists for:

• Furnace Services
• Boiler Services
• Heating Oil
• Propane
• Water Heater Service

Contact us online or call us at (845) 915-5101 if you’re in New York, (973) 827-8179 in New Jersey, or (570) 409-3529 for our Milford, PA office to schedule a service!

The post March HVAC Maintenance Guide appeared first on SOS XTREME Comfort.

Guide to HVAC Maintenance for December

It’s that magical time of year, snow begins to fall, lights twinkle, bells ring and the chill in the air becomes colder and colder. Yup it’s December in the Northeast. With all the hectic activity that December holidays and the New Year brings, be sure not to neglect your Heating system. Here’s some simple HVAC maintenance tips.

• Check your air filter. During periods of heavy heating system use, the filter should be inspected monthly to make sure it has not become full of contaminants. You may find it necessary to replace it sooner than the 3 month mark during these times, so have a replacement ready just in case. To order replacement filters you can go to FilterFetch.com and use this unique SOS reorder code: C4UR.

COLD FACTS: Be sure your Christmas Tree is not near any heating vents. This will cause your Live Tree to dry out pre-maturely – which can also be a fire hazard.

• Inspect all registers and return air grilles in your home to ensure they have not been blocked or shut. These vents should never be blocked, as doing so will restrict airflow through your HVAC systems, which could create performance issues and system overheating. Move all carpets and rugs, furniture, and other items away from vents. Check to see that vent louvers are open; if you wish to shut off heating to unused areas of your home or building, never close more than 20 percent of the structure’s HVAC vents. If you have many unused areas, consider investing in a zoning system which will allow you to reduce energy waste while facilitating proper HVAC system performance.

 

• Keep the area surrounding your heating equipment clear. Never store items directly by the furnace, especially flammable or combustible material such as rags, wood, gasoline, paint, solvent, and cleaners.

 

• Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly throughout heating season. Test batteries each month, using the unit’s TEST button. Vacuum away any dust which has accumulated on the detectors.

 

• Keep exterior vents and chimneys clear of ice and snow. Flue pipes allow the heating process’s combustion byproducts to exit the home or building safely a blockage could cause carbon monoxide to leak indoors. Fresh air intake piping should also be cleared for proper ventilation.

Cold Facts: Keep Chimneys clear from blockage to allow Santa to easily get in and out on Christmas Eve to leave all those nice little presents for the good girls & boys.

The post Guide to HVAC Maintenance for December appeared first on SOS XTREME Comfort.

Prep Your House For Fall

With Fall right around the corner take a minute to review our list of cleaning tasks to prepare your home for the colder months ahead.

Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Gutter cleaning and checking of downspouts are an essential part of regular exterior home maintenance. It will ensure proper flow of water from the roof and the home’s foundation and help to prevent wood rot and failure at the fascia boards and body of the house. Once the gutters are cleared of debris you’ll want to make sure the downspouts are cleared BEFORE you rinse the gutters. Take a hose and place it into the downspout. Have a helper turn on the water and check for downspout flow. If a clog exists you can gently pass the hose down the downspout to remove it.

Clean Dryer Vent Hose

While regular cleaning of the lint filter on your dryer is very important – it isn’t a substitute for a thorough cleaning of the dryer vent hose. Lint is created from the clothes as water is removed during the drying process. This lint will build up all along the dryer vent hose – leading to the danger of fire. The fact that dryers are the number 1 source of fire in the home is good enough reason to put this task high on your priority list.

Fireplace Chimney Inspection

Before the cool, crisp days of fall make cozy evenings in front of the fireplace irresistible, take time to make sure your fireplace is as safe as it is inviting. With an annual fireplace chimney inspection — and possible sweeping — you can improve fireplace performance, and snuff out chimney fire and carbon monoxide concerns. This is a task you’ll probably want to leave to the professionals.

Check Caulk Around Windows and Doors

An average home loses up to 30% of its heating and cooling energy through air leaks. The most significant air leaks tend to occur around windows and doors. To stop air leaks and prevent your home heating and cooling dollars from vanishing in the wind, it’s important to seal any air leaks around windows and doors. If you have old windows, caulking and adding new weatherstripping goes a long way toward tightening them up.

Inspect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke and CO2 alarms are such a common presence in our homes that it’s easy to just expect them to work every time. But like many other devices and appliances around the house, smoke detectors require regular cleaning and maintenance to function effectively.

Airborne dust and contaminants can interfere with a smoke alarm’s ability to detect smoke, so make it a point to clean all detectors in your home. Use your vacuum cleaner’s long upholstery wand to clear away any dust or cobwebs that have settled around the detectors, and – if possible – vacuum out the smoke alarms’ interior compartments as well (in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions). Finish off by replacing the batteries and pressing the “test” button.

Stay Safe and Warm with SOS Xtreme Comfort

At SOS Xtreme Comfort, our goal is to keep you comfortable during the coldest months of the year. Whether you need reliable heating oil or propane delivery, or effective oil burner cleaning service – we’re here to make it easy. To learn more about our oil and propane service options and discuss the best options for your heating system inspection, contact us today.

The post Prep Your House For Fall appeared first on SOS XTREME Comfort.

How to Prevent Heating Oil From Freezing in Winter

Though we still have our fair share of warm days ahead, the weather is most certainly deciding to trend to the cooler side. It brings to mind cool fall days, the coming of the holidays, and—to the more practical of us—a need to ensure an adequate supply of heating oil. As fuel delivery specialists this is, of course, always on our minds, and today we would like to cover a potential concern those of you who rely on heating oil may have: how to prevent heating oil from freezing.

Follow along with the heating oil pros at SOS Xtreme Comfort while we cover the why, the how, and the prevention of a heating oil freeze-up.

Is your fuel supply covered this year? Contact our delivery experts today to take advantage of our price protection and service plans!

Can Heating Oil Actually Freeze?

Many homeowners equate heating oil to gasoline, kerosene, propane, diesel, and other common fossil fuels. However, these all have some differences both in use and in chemical composition, which will change whether or not they can freeze, and at what temperatures they might do so. As for heating oil, yes, it certainly can—though not exactly in the way most of us are used to.

When heating oil is exposed to low enough temperatures the paraffin content of the oil will begin to gel. The process starts at just above standard water freezing temperature, and at this point, the product will begin to cloud and condense a bit, which will not impact performance. However, when temperatures fall below around 15-20 degrees, the paraffin in your heating oil will start to separate and crystallize, forming a sort of gel.

If heating oil gels, it can begin to cling to the sides of the tank. It can gum up the system as a whole and it can drastically alter the flow rate of your heating system. All of these together means no heat and a whole lot of cold folks—and this is why prevention is important.

Best Ways to Prevent a Heating Oil Freeze in the Winter

If you’re reading this during the winter months and you already have a freeze on your hands, your best course of action is to call a specialist! Do not attempt to thaw your heating oil on your own—and avoid tampering with the tank!

Proactive effort is the ideal course of action. Do these:

• Insulate all fuel lines that are above-ground or otherwise exposed to the elements. This is easily done with pipe insulation sleeves, which are rather cheap at any hardware store.
• Consider moving your fuel filter indoors where the ambient temperature remains warm. The most common cause of a system failing due to heating oil “freezing” comes because the filter gets jammed up with the separated and gelled wax.
• Consider anti-gelling additives that are designed for use specifically with residential #2 heating oil. If you’re unsure of what to use, or whether you should use it at all, contact your fuel supplier to ask!
• A better long-term solution is to move your tank and associated pipes underground. This requires a professional service that is certified in the replacement, removal, and movement of heating oil tanks, but if freezing heating oil is a consistent problem then this is a solution well-worth your interest.

Heating Oil Specialists & Delivery in PA, NJ & NY

Need help keeping your heating oil supply up, or looking for a service team that can maintain and repair your oil furnace or boiler? Get in touch with the experts at SOS Xtreme Comfort today!

The post How to Prevent Heating Oil From Freezing in Winter appeared first on SOS XTREME Comfort.

How Long Does Propane Last?

Utilizing propane is a very effective fuel source for nearly countless applications, from firing up the grill, all the way to keeping your home heated and warm. It does have one, somewhat small, caveat, however—learning how to maintain your supply. This can feel like a challenging task at first (maybe even a bit frustrating), but we’re happy to say that with the barest of preparation and information, you can be storing adequate amounts of fuel to meet all of your needs.

Looking for a reliable fuel supply company in NY, NJ or PA? Contact our propane delivery experts today to schedule your consultation.

Does Propane Expire?

First up comes one of our most important questions: will your stored fuel expire? And we’re glad to say no, it will not! Unlike fuel sources that can degrade over time (kerosene, diesel, gasoline), propane fuel has no expiration date, nor will its potency suffer while being stored. The only thing you need to worry about when storing propane is maintaining the health and integrity of the propane storage tank. You need to have on-site tanks re-certified every decade, and it’s wise to get the tank inspected by a professional to detect any possible leaks annually.

How Long Will My Propane Burn?

The most important thing to understand about how long your propane will last is your burn rate—or how long your fuel will last per pound/gallon. For this, you’re probably going to want to break out a calculator.

First, it’s important to know that one gallon of propane translates to roughly 92,000 BTUs of heating power, and that one gallon is equivalent to 4.24 lbs of fuel. With this information you can check the BTU demand of your propane furnace (this can range anywhere from 20,000 to as high as 200,000—it’s important to know the exact number).

With this information on hand, you can divide the BTU/Hr of your furnace by the BTU available in a single gallon of propane (92,000) to learn how far that one gallon will get you in an hour of heating. Next, take the total capacity of your tank—80% of it to be precise, since this is how much a fuel delivery company will fill the tank for safety reasons—and multiply it by the burn rate you totalled above, and voila! You should now know how long your tank, when filled, can be expected to last.

Fuel Storage Safety Facts

And last up, we want to leave you with some important safety information. Propane is a powerful and reliable fuel, but it demands a bit of care and respect, too! Simple tips include:

• Propane expands and contracts with temperature variance. Above 60 degrees it is roughly “normal”, and below it will contract. Keep this in mind when ordering fuel!
• Always work with your propane tanks in an open, well-ventilated area. Even a minor leak can severely harm your health in short order.
• Propane tank overfilling can be very dangerous, so always be sure to have your tanks filled with a respectable supplier. It’s also wise to familiarize yourself with how to inspect for overfill (this calculator can help!)
• If you notice any strange odors when handling your propane tank do not use the tank. Have it inspected, and possibly bled/replaced instead.
• An easy check for leaks along the release valve is to apply soapy water. See bubbles? If so, you have a leak! This is not a replacement for a proper inspection, but it’s a good self check to use occasionally.

Choose SOS Xtreme Comfort for Propane in NY, NJ & PA

When you choose us for all of your propane needs throughout southern New York, northern New Jersey, and northeastern Pennsylvania, you are guaranteed to have clean, affordable, and efficient propane. Whether you need propane delivery or a new propane tank installed on or near your property, our team of professionals is qualified, experienced, and ready to help! As your number one source for propane services in Warwick, Middletown, Goshen, Monroe, New City, and surrounding towns in Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Pike counties, we look forward to serving you!

To schedule a propane delivery or tank installation service, contact us online now or call us at our Tuxedo Park office at 845-351-8929 or our Milford office at ​570-409-3528!

The post How Long Does Propane Last? appeared first on SOS XTREME Comfort.