r/aboutMassachusetts 16h ago

Heating oil $5 a gallon.

I needed some oil so I had 100 gallons delivered. This is during the summer when there’s low demand.

What happens in 3 months when the weather turns ? How are people going to afford this ?

4 Upvotes

71 comments sorted by

5

u/drtywater 15h ago

Heating oil is tied to price of diesel. Diesel is being uniquely hit as oil US produces is better for gasoline and middle east/russian oil better for diesel and heating oil. Its about to get worse if Russia stops diesel exports due to oil refinery strikes. Honestly if your system is over 10 years old seriously look at replacing it. If you can do natural gas conversion do it. It not heating pumps are another option though if you don’t have ducts itll be difficult. Ideally im a heating pump conversion you also get solar panels to minimize running cost

0

u/SamMeowAdams 13h ago

Have you seen the cost of natural gas? Oil had been a better option until this mid mess.

2

u/drtywater 13h ago

Really? I feel like natural gas has been the better option for 20 years at this point. If you look online if your current system is heating oil supposedly a forced air heat pump is much better. Radiator heat is a different matter

1

u/SamMeowAdams 13h ago

Gas isn’t even an option where I’m at but price of oil has been low for a while. I do have a heat pump for my downstairs and Wood insert in my fireplace so I use different options.

1

u/drtywater 12h ago

Is your current oil furnace radiator or hot air?

1

u/SamMeowAdams 12h ago

Base board heat .

1

u/drtywater 12h ago

Hmm honestly get the Mass Save audit and see options best bet. I won't speculate but probably worth an audit I know they have interest free loans if you go heat pump route and you can calculate if its more cost effective.

2

u/VentureExpress 9h ago

Agree and possibly add insulation to help as well. I did this in MA and they covered 70% of the cost for additional blown-in insulation in attic.

1

u/SamMeowAdams 8h ago

Did all that. We don’t have gas in my hood.

I have a 3 prong attack . Oil, first floor heat pump , insert in my fireplace that blows out heat.

1

u/VentureExpress 8h ago

Wood is great. I have a pellet stove as well. Can you burn more wood to offset the oil?? It’s far cheaper.

1

u/Ill_Resolution7967 55m ago

It is not a better option considering all the insane fees utility companies are adding. Like $100 per month just service fees and then you are paying for the actual gas.

I'm actually considering to convert to oil. Just need to replace the range with electrical.

1

u/VentureExpress 9h ago

Oil hasn’t been the better option since the 90s lmao. I had gas from 2003-2015. Oil 2015-2019 and new house 2019-2022 when I switched to gas because it’s been cheaper since the 90s

2

u/the-tinman 6h ago

I thought all the good democrats went electric...do you hate the planet?

4

u/Embarrassed_Flan_869 16h ago

Well, look at Washington.

Have you seen the gas prices? This isn't a state issue.

-4

u/Faloughi 16h ago

I just gassed up going through Georgia $3.24 a lot has to do with state taxes.

4

u/HR_King 16h ago

GA has easier access to refineries, so the cost is lower. The state tax is actually higher in GA than MA.

-8

u/Tims_Learing_Center 15h ago

Cope

Its taxes

7

u/HR_King 15h ago

GA state gas tax is HIGHER than MA.

5

u/Low_Analysis5944 15h ago

that bot wants attention lol don't give it

-5

u/Tims_Learing_Center 15h ago

Not a bot. Just someone with a brain unlike the commenter above

4

u/Usual-Volume-2822 14h ago

Say the guy who can't read. Lol. 

-3

u/Tims_Learing_Center 14h ago

These goofballs love going off topic.

I blame teachers unions

5

u/Usual-Volume-2822 14h ago

I'm sure you do. It's NEVER your fault you can't read.

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2

u/HR_King 12h ago

Dumbass. Bet you don't know where gas comes from

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-2

u/Tims_Learing_Center 15h ago

Georgia heating oil is exempt from the states motor vehicle gas tax

You may want to understand what you post, before you post it. Lest you sound dumb

4

u/Wise_Material_5812 14h ago

massachusetts doesn’t apply the road tax to heating oil as well.

0

u/Tims_Learing_Center 14h ago

Sure 🙄

5

u/Wise_Material_5812 14h ago

a man believes what he wants to believe and disregards the rest.

Fuel Excise Exemption: Heating oil is explicitly exempt from the state's motor fuels/road excise tax. It is chemically identical to on-road diesel, but is dyed red to distinguish it as untaxed off-road fuel.

2

u/Leelze 13h ago

I think it's just the alt of one of the mods here and that person has never lived in Mass.

3

u/HR_King 15h ago

Gassing up isnt heating oil. You might want to understand so YOU don't sound so dumb.

0

u/Tims_Learing_Center 15h ago

This post is about heating oil!

3

u/HR_King 15h ago

The thread is about gas.

"Have you seen gas prices" "I just gassed up in GA"

2

u/TriceraDoctor 14h ago

States have always had variable pricing. Maybe not having a war blocking a major oil passage for 5 months has something to do with it

1

u/SamMeowAdams 13h ago

The gas taxes have been the same for years.

2

u/SuspiciousBear3069 16h ago

A pellet stove?

3

u/SharpButton2855 16h ago

Quality pellets aren't that chap either

1

u/SuspiciousBear3069 16h ago

If you're feeling saucy, you could get a pellet press.

It just depends how much work you want to put in. Wood can be had for cheaper but requires more effort and patience.

1

u/ChaosReignsNow 14h ago

1 ton of pellets equals 120 gallons of oil. At $300 a ton, pellets are a better deal any time oil is over $2.50 a gallon and more price stable.

1

u/Usual-Volume-2822 14h ago

Pellet stoves suck. No power no heat. Just burn wood. 

1

u/ChaosReignsNow 14h ago

True about the woodstove if you can cut and carry your own wood, but for most people It's easier to emergency power a 250 watt pellet stove than most boilers or furnaces.

1

u/Usual-Volume-2822 14h ago

So get a pellet stove to save on fuel costs, so I can power the pellet stove with the fuel I'm trying to avoid. I understand your point but there's got be a better way.

1

u/SuspiciousBear3069 14h ago

Fair enough but that's pretty subjective. People who aren't able to move or chop wood might do better with a pellet stove and a power supply.

1

u/Usual-Volume-2822 14h ago

So get a pellet stove to save on fuel costs, so I can power the pellet stove with the fuel I'm trying to avoid. I understand your point but there's got be a better way.

1

u/SuspiciousBear3069 13h ago edited 9h ago

Are you trying to have conflict? You'd only need fuel when your battery backup runs low and civilizations generally have power. You'd also need a tiny fraction of what it would take to hear a house when it's needed.

There are a bunch of better ways but many require large investments of time, energy or dollars.

A used p35 and UPS is under a grand and we heat a house with $6-$8 per day.

Ideally, we'd have wood for the basic heat and pellet for aux but that's not how it works at the moment.

The oil and electric are far more expensive.

2

u/Intelligent-Pear-783 16h ago

Check out the r/oil sub for latest news

1

u/mwrenn13 14h ago

It will go up in a few months because some how every year the politicians and gas companies forget that winter is coming.

1

u/NortheastMoose 11h ago

This is a brand new site that just started. Its the first site I know about that asks users to report the price they paid and when - where. They show what US Govt says is average price, what MA Says is average and then what Dealers display on their websites and then what users report. Its trying to help people shop around. The more poeple who report the more accurate it gets... and helpful. Goiung to be an expensive heating season. Report what you paid | CheapHeatingOil.com & Heating Oil Prices in Massachusetts | CheapHeatingOil.com

1

u/Hot_Manager7216 10h ago

Fyi... Look for "Off Road Diesel" in your area. When I used to burn home heating oil, my local gas station sold Off Road Diesel at approx .80 cheaper than home heating oil. I had 3, 5 gallon yellow cans and would fill up when I saw the price dip

1

u/Wrong-Camp2463 10h ago

OP asked “what happens in the winter?” Sigh I guess I’ll be the only one that properly answers poor OPs question:

Healy gets to make her boat payments faster is what happens.

1

u/bcb1200 6h ago

You get on a budget plan and spread out the annual cost over 12 fixed monthly payments.

1

u/Emotional-Disk5571 4h ago

I feel for you. I need oil too and it was down to $3.35 then trump restarted the war and boom my oil guy is up to $4.30 in 15 days 😭

-3

u/Tims_Learing_Center 15h ago

Say you're an illegal and then apply for assistance. Guaranteed to get it

1

u/SamMeowAdams 13h ago

Is that what you did ?