How Truck Inspections Will Save You Cash on Spiking Heating Oil

Winter is coming, but homeowners may be seeing more red this season.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that homeowners will spend 27% more this winter compared to last year – for now. If it’s even a little colder, that number may drive up to 37%, the agency says.

It’s a potential hundreds of dollars in extra expenses, making the quality of oil delivery to homes that much more valuable.

What can you do to save yourself a hassle when a delivery truck arrives at your home?

Be sure to check the truck’s seal or stick with a recent month and year of inspection, says Michael Bannon of Bucks County Consumer Protection.

“You need to make sure you receive a ticket, the delivery receipt,” Bannon said. “How much you received, how much you paid per gallon, and the meter and truck it came from. That’s how we track this at the end of the day.” 

If something seems fishy, you can check with your local county to ensure the truck is registered and recently inspected.

“There’s room for fraud and when there's so much money involved as in heating oil – a product you don’t really see, it’s something you need to be aware of,” Bannon said. 

In Pennsylvania and Delaware, all home heating oil trucks are inspected once a year to ensure the quality of the heating oil. In Bucks County alone, 115 trucks must be inspected, with roughly ten trucks inspected per day this time of year.

Bucks County weighs and measures every 200-gallon tank before it is sent out to homes, Bannon said. If a tank is short or over by roughly a gallon, it fails and must be repaired before making more deliveries. 

Bannon estimates around 4 to 5% of trucks fail the test.

“It’s about maintenance and inspecting the truck,” Bannon said. “Unfortunately, there are shady operators out there that can alter the gallon you have… but by far most home heating oil companies are doing the right thing.”