Oil Company Gross Profits Tax
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has proposed a 6.17% tax on fuel distributors.

Governor Rendell's  original idea was to impose this tax on just " Big Oil'' e.i. Exxon & BP.

But the Dept. of Revenue has since stated that would not be possible, so the Sel-Lo Oils, Martin Oil, and BCO's of the world  will be taxed the same. They estimate that Harrisburg would collect $760 million a year. With that in mind it means the gallon of oil delivered to your house will have been taxed at several different levels, from refining to pipeline & bulk storage to distributor. And then they say that it will not be passed along to the consumer.

To top it off these tax dollars are to fund the ailing mass transit system throughout the Commonwealth. That means the majority of the tax dollars will be going straight to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. I don't see the connection between a home heater and their distributor and mass transit problems.

This is a backdoor tax and misguided attempt to raise funds for a totally unrelated beneficiary. 

We are asking you to register your response to the appropriate State Senator or Representative:
          Senator: 

     John Eichelberger          District 30          695-8386        jeichelberger@pasen.gov

     John Wozniak               District 35          266-2277         wozniak@pasenate.com  

           Representatives:       

      Richard Geist               79th District       946-7218          www.rickgeist.com                                           

      Jerry Stern                   80th District       695-2398          www.jerrystern.com

      Mike Fleck                   81st District        644-2996        mfleck@pahousegop.com

      Gary Haluska               73rd District        674-8939        ghaluska@pahouse.com  

     Dick Hess                    78th District       623-9097        dhess@pahouse.com

       
 
Tips for efficient home heating this season.
1.

HAVE AN EQUIPMENT TONE-Up

  
  Call today to set an appointment to get your oil burner cleaned and serviced.  Your burner/boiler should be looked at by a professional annually, and summer is the best time.  This will ensure that your furnace is running     as cleanly and efficiently as possible.

       Allow a couple of weeks and our technician will call to set your appointment; and please tell us if your situation is more of an emergency so we can respond more quickly.

       This is also the time to do an inspection of your storage tank(s).  This could be a do it yourself project; and here are some key things to look for:

       I)  Basement/above ground tanks

             a.  Look for metal fatigue, particularly around the bottom   where moisture is its biggest enemy   

             b.  Check all four legs of the tank and the base in which they are resting...make sure that they are level and stable

             c.  Check to make sure that the fill and vent pipes have not shifted over time (i.e. the distance your fill cap is from the foundation)...this would be an indication that your tank has started to lean.  If your tank is leaning it is putting uneven pressure on the legs and that will lead to trouble...realize that a tank full of fuel weighs over 1 ton and will cause substantial damage if it tips.

             d.  Ask our driver to tell you if your tank is venting properly...a tank that is not venting properly will lead to an over-flow and cause a mess inside or outside your house.

      II)  Inground tanks

             a.  Check for water in your tank at least once a year.  Water will accumulate at the bottom or your tank, and can be detected before we make your delivery.  If you don't have the gauge stick or the water finding paste then ask our driver to do it for you.

             b.  Check to make sure that the fill pipe has not shifted in the ground...that is an indication that either the tank is shifting in the ground or your fill pipe is coming loose.  Both situations are red flag signs that your tank will eventually leak or let water get inside.      

***The life expectancy for a fuel tank is 20 to 30 years depending   on upkeep and conditions. ***

      This is also the time to check on your tank gauge.  A couple of ways to do this is:

     1.  Measure your tank manually and compare it to the reading that your gauge is giving you.

      2.  Judge by how many gallons it takes to fill your tank, after taking notice where your gauge was just before the delivery.

***Manually measuring your storage tank will always be the most accurate way of knowing when to order your fuel, so ask the driver  for a tank chart.

***Remember to be safe allow up to a week for delivery.   

 

                                                                             

 
2. HOW MUCH STORAGE IS ENOUGH?  
  This question sometimes goes unnoticed, but can save you money and can help you avoid inconvenience.

The correct size storage should have a MINIMUM of 30 days and a maximum of 1 year consumption.

Having ample storage help in a number of different ways:

      1.  It will allow you to avoid buying during peak price periods

      2.  Larger deliveries are discounted for quantity

      3.  If your location is not always accessible during bad weather, then it is in your best interest to have overly ample storage to avoid outages.

Learn how many gallons your house uses per day by keeping track of how many days between fill-ups and how many gallons it took to fill the tank. (Note :  to do the calculation accurately your tank must be full at the beginning and the end of the calculation.)

 
 
3.

Install a CO detector

  
  It is a wise precaution to install a CO detector or replace the batteries; and replace the batteries in the smoke detector as well.
4. Install a water-saving shower head  
  Available at most hardware stores, they use up to one-third less hot water. And check the drips too: one drop every hour from your hot water faucet can add up to plenty of baths over the season. " For best efficiency, home owners are discovering that they can use an oil-fired water heater," says June Smith. "Tests prove they heat water up to two times faster than electricity at half the cost."
5. Add a programmable thermostat  
  Temperature 'setback' with a programmable thermostat pay for itself in as little as one year, especially if you are heating with a more expensive source like electricity, says June Smith. "For every degree that you reduce the house temperature overnight, you'll cut one to two percent off your fuel bill. Keep the house at 62 degrees Fahrenheit from 70 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, and you'll save about 10 per cent. "What is 10 per cent of your annual heating cost?" Of course, he says, home owners can achieve the same results by manually adjusting the thermostat each night and morning.
6. Inspect Your House  
  Home owners should review existing weather-stripping for cracks or peels; inspect the attic for broken windows or thin insulation; close fireplace dampers when they are not in use; wrap their hot water heater and pipes with specialized insulation; and when the winter comes, let the sun shine in. "The sun will heat the house and save you money," says June Smith. Keep drapes and blinds open during the day on the sunny side of the house, and close them at night to minimize heat loss.
7. Your house has to breathe  
  If your system has outside air intake vents installed with a side wall vented (not chimney) heating appliance, manufacturers advise consumers to ensure that they are not blocked. "Like all equipment that burns fuel, furnaces draw in air to ignite the fuel and to keep it burning efficiently. The fresh air vents are essential to a healthy home," notes June Smith. Home owners should ensure that they are not blocked or covered.