Disbelieving Oil Man

 
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vermontday
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Post by vermontday » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:15 am

Had a funny encounter with the oil man today.

While we don't use our oil boiler in winter, my wife thought we should top off our oil tank. The oil truck came today in howling winds and blowing snow and delivered oil.

The oil man came to the door with the slip and wanted to check our oil tank as it only took 80 gallons. I said that we don't burn a drop of oil in the winter and that was probably correct. I said we burn coal for heat and hot water. He still seemed dubious, so I offered to show him.

He went into the basement, stepped over Cindy's auger pipe and took apart the oil tank level gauge. After confirming that was working and noticing that our oil burner didn't even have it's flue pipe hooked up, he started believing that really did not use oil.

He asked how much coal cost and I told him a little over half the cost of oil. Another convert???


 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:19 am

could have really blown his mind if your 520 had an oil gun.

 
Benny
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Post by Benny » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:24 am

My wife is the manager at local oil company, so needless to say the koker lite was a hard sell, she loves the heat!

 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:43 am

vermontday wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:15 am
Had a funny encounter with the oil man today.

While we don't use our oil boiler in winter, my wife thought we should top off our oil tank. The oil truck came today in howling winds and blowing snow and delivered oil.

The oil man came to the door with the slip and wanted to check our oil tank as it only took 80 gallons. I said that we don't burn a drop of oil in the winter and that was probably correct. I said we burn coal for heat and hot water. He still seemed dubious, so I offered to show him.

He went into the basement, stepped over Cindy's auger pipe and took apart the oil tank level gauge. After confirming that was working and noticing that our oil burner didn't even have it's flue pipe hooked up, he started believing that really did not use oil.

He asked how much coal cost and I told him a little over half the cost of oil. Another convert???
I guess he was wondering why in the hell he was out there in that howling wind today delivering 80 gallons of oil to your home! :lol:

 
k-2
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Post by k-2 » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:52 am

This year the gas company dug up the street in front of my home (at great cost to them) to physically disconnect the gas line from my home as they were not satisfied that i was not USING any of their gas anymore. After a home inspection where i showed them my coal stoker and that the gas line was capped and locked where the meter used to be. Nat is very cheap until your local gas co charges you 3 to 4 time the price of the gas. Coal people do not do this or even oil. And the meter/customer charge keeps going up for which you get nothing at all.

 
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Post by k-2 » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:54 am

Benny wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:24 am
My wife is the manager at local oil company, so needless to say the koker lite was a hard sell, she loves the heat!
I had oil for a few years after i quit the gas co,kept turning it down until we were in sweaters all winter,finally had enough. now im in my underclothes and saving a ton of cash in the process. I figure i saved at least $20,000 in 15 years since i changed to coal and im a heck of a lot warmer.
Last edited by k-2 on Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 12:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:56 am

He asked how much coal cost and I told him a little over half the cost of oil. Another convert???
Most people won't convert even if coal was free.


 
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vermontday
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Post by vermontday » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:13 am

You are probably right Coalkirk.

The answer is my wife is ocd. She never let's her car gas tank get below 1/2 a tank, she keeps the house impeccable without a thing out of place. She is a Martha Stewart type without the stock tips!

I was surprised when I read the oil price on the slip, it was $2.80/gal. Two weeks ago I had looked up the oil price to show a neighbor that was contemplating pellets and it was $2.50/gal.

Rob is probably right about free coal. We don't mind taking out the ashes everyday and dropping another skid of coal on every few weeks, but to some people that amount of work is not what they are entitled to. However, I just retired Jan 1st, because over the years I did not feel entitled and saved money by doing extra work.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:42 am

vermontday wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:13 am
You are probably right Coalkirk.

The answer is my wife is ocd. She never let's her car gas tank get below 1/2 a tank, she keeps the house impeccable without a thing out of place. She is a Martha Stewart type without the stock tips!

I was surprised when I read the oil price on the slip, it was $2.80/gal. Two weeks ago I had looked up the oil price to show a neighbor that was contemplating pellets and it was $2.50/gal.

Rob is probably right about free coal. We don't mind taking out the ashes everyday and dropping another skid of coal on every few weeks, but to some people that amount of work is not what they are entitled to. However, I just retired Jan 1st, because over the years I did not feel entitled and saved money by doing extra work.
What they don't realize is that they have to work in other ways to pay more for the same BTU's. :roll:

Paul

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 12:03 pm

could have really blown his mind
You could have shown a photo of a UFO or even better a photo of a teenage daughter helping dad load bags of rice into the basement.

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 7:07 pm

When my uncle changed over to coal, a couple gas company reps showed up asking questions. They insisted to check gas lines in his house. That's when he invited them to take a look at the newly refurbed Keystoker boiler. They left shortly afterward.

The summer before I installed the coal furnace the propane truck came to repo the tank. I had a bill from the previous winter that wasn't paid yet. He offered to let me set up a payment plan after noticing the furnace on my front porch lol. I nicely said take the tank and get off my property hahaha.

 
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Post by k-2 » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 7:28 pm

Sunny Boy wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:42 am
What they don't realize is that they have to work in other ways to pay more for the same BTU's. :roll:

Paul
Iv saved over $20000 in oil bills since ,thats some heavy duty cash. Just the fact that i dont have to freeze all winter is worth a few minutes swapping an ash tub ,without the cash.

 
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Post by scalabro » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 7:31 pm

vermontday wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:13 am
You are probably right Coalkirk.

The answer is my wife is ocd. She never let's her car gas tank get below 1/2 a tank, she keeps the house impeccable without a thing out of place. She is a Martha Stewart type without the stock tips!

I was surprised when I read the oil price on the slip, it was $2.80/gal. Two weeks ago I had looked up the oil price to show a neighbor that was contemplating pellets and it was $2.50/gal.

Rob is probably right about free coal. We don't mind taking out the ashes everyday and dropping another skid of coal on every few weeks, but to some people that amount of work is not what they are entitled to. However, I just retired Jan 1st, because over the years I did not feel entitled and saved money by doing extra work.
I don’t think it’s an entitlement thing, it’s just most peeps would not want to have a “relationship” with their heating plant. I can’t say I blame them. I would not have a Coal only heating furnace, boiler etc. simply because of where I live and marketability/resale of my house. There lots of good folks whose opportunity costs represent a fair bit of coin. If I lived in NEPA it’d be different...

 
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Post by 2001Sierra » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 8:39 pm

vermontday wrote:
Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 11:13 am
We don't mind taking out the ashes everyday and dropping another skid of coal on every few weeks, but to some people that amount of work is not what they are entitled to. However, I just retired Jan 1st, because over the years I did not feel entitled and saved money by doing extra work.
Congratulations on retirement :yes:
My bride too is all about the 1/2 tank gas is the minumum and all the rest that goes with that. Today my low fuel light came on, guess it is time to fill up the Sierra.
I graphed my oil usage back in the early 80's, yes before Excel. Fired up my a Buderus 3115 coal stove and within a 2 months the graph had no more oil entries, and the story begins. I did install a Buderus oil boiler 10 years ago, 4 zones, and super store tank. Oil went through the roof and now it just sits there and heats our DHW. The Keysytoker90 installed 8 years ago is what heats the house, and with the last 2 weeks she has been running hard, and keeping up just fine.

 
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Post by cabinover » Fri. Jan. 05, 2018 10:04 pm

I'm just wondering why, today, with probably the coldest day coming tomorrow of the year, with the most use for any fuel and delivery people, that you decided would be a good day to screw with him. I understand you are happy with coal as am I. I also understand after being out in the cold delivering to people for the last 2 weeks straight to keep them warm, the last thing I want is some wise-ass rubbing it in my face about how he only used so much fuel last year. I could care less about how much you did or didn't use, you're wasting precious time, both mine and the last customer's.

Flame on...


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