Contents
Unfortunately, scams are present in all types of businesses, including those that deal with heating oil deliveries. Any unsuspecting person can fall victim. Businesses that cheat their customers employ multiple tricks as a means to inflate their profits. Fortunately, having some awareness of existing heating oil scams and using prevention strategies can protect you from unscrupulous fuel oil providers. Likewise, it can help you find an oil supplier that you can trust.
Common Scams In The Heating Oil Industry
Ultimately, there is only one real scam: to provide you less oil than what you paid for. This allows the scammer to steal the fuel that should be yours and sell it to someone else instead. In this article, we discuss what to keep an eye out for.
Mixing Waste Oil With Heating Oil
A favorite method of cheating residential customers is to pad the amount of actual heating oil in their truck with cheap, dirty recycled motor oil. You get the actual quantity of oil you pay for but some of it is filthy gunk that burns dirtier, clogs your system, and can even smell bad.
Adding Air To Home Heating Oil
Another old favorite of heating oil scammers is to disable the air bleed valve on the truck. This way, you get air bubbles inserted into the oil you are purchasing. Like a foamy cappuccino, the air eventually escapes and you are left with much less actual fuel than you paid for.
For a reliable and honest oil supplier in the area, call Tevis Energy.
Delivering Heated Fuel Oil
Like many materials, heating oil expands when it is heated, taking up more volume. Some dishonest oil companies will heat up the fuel before delivery to make it seem like you have received the amount that you ordered. Once the oil cools off, the oil contracts, leaving you with much less than you should have.
Mechanical Meter Tampering
Although all meters are required to be certified by a state inspection every year, there are ways in which they can still be gamed. One way is simply to put an older meter on the truck after certification and then put the certified one back on at the end of the year. They can be spun forward by the supplier with a drill. Another way is to open a ticket, pump some oil right back into the truck’s delivery tank, and only then start pumping into yours.
Using A Diversion Valve To Send Fuel Back To The Oil Truck
During an oil delivery, the oil technician will use meters to measure the flow of oil that goes from the truck to the oil tank. A dishonest oil supplier may use a diversion valve, where they can send some of this oil back to the tanker. This leaves you with less than what you paid for.
Preventing Heating Oil Fraud
- Research heating oil companies before using them.
- Be wary of heating oil offers that sound too good to be true.
- Check out heating oil supplier reviews and ask friends for recommendations.
- Find out if the oil supplier requires an oil delivery contract. Don’t get stuck in a contract with a company that offers inferior service.
- Be on the lookout for hidden fees. An honest company with have upfront, transparent heating oil prices.
- Carefully monitor your fuel delivery.
- Look for electronic meters during the fuel delivery.
Contact Tevis Energy For Honest Heating Oil Deliveries
Tevis Energy is a trustworthy heating oil delivery company that services central Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. Our company offers affordable and the most competitive heating oil prices in the area. Our goal is to provide you with excellent products and services. When you choose us to be your oil supplier, you can rest easy knowing that you will have correct and prompt heating oil deliveries at the best possible prices. Furthermore, we offer various heating oil delivery plans and financing options, as a way to customize your oil deliveries. Be sure to call us today to learn more.
Tevis Energy has certified and highly trained HVAC technicians to cater to all your heating and cooling needs. We guarantee that each of our techs has the experience, skills, and knowledge to provide excellent HVAC services. Our team can assist you with installations, repairs, maintenance, and much more. Our superior HVAC solutions always come at affordable costs.
Call us today to learn more about the products and services our company offers. We provide free, in-home estimates.
You can click here to contact us now or call us at (410) 876-6800 to find out more!