What Size Heating Oil Tank Does Your Home Need?

Guidelines for determining the right size heating oil tank for your home

You probably already know how important it is that your oil tank never gets down to empty. An empty tank means a cold house and cold water. That’s not even good in the hot summer months, but especially not during the winter! An empty tank can also cause the reduced efficiency or failure of your heating system. You already know it’s important to order more heating oil before your tank is empty. But do you know if your Hudson Valley home has the right size oil tank?

Oil Tank Factors to Consider

Heating oil tanks can last for decades, but you don’t want to wait until yours fails to replace it. If your heating oil tank is over thirty years old, now is a good time to look into getting a new one. This is also a good time to figure out what size oil tank your home needs. Here are some things you should know:

• You can find the capacity of your oil tank on its nameplate. The most common above-ground size for residential use is 275 gallons. Larger homes may have a 330-gallon or 500-gallon tank. Underground tanks can be 1,000 gallons or more.
• Keep in mind that the capacity listed on your tank’s nameplate is for a brand-new tank. Once debris starts to build up, your tank’s actual capacity will decrease.
• If your home has one or two bedrooms and is 2,500 square feet or smaller, a 275-gallon tank should be sufficient. Homes with three or four bedrooms might need a tank that can hold 330 or 500 gallons.
• Don’t forget to consider the space available in your home for a tank. Measure the dimensions of the available space and keep those numbers handy when you consider your options.
• You should also consider how many people your home needs to accommodate now and if that number may increase soon. If the size of your family might grow, you may want to choose a larger tank size with the future in mind.
• Finally, think about your family’s habits. Do you prefer to keep a warmer or cooler home? Are you on a tight budget or eco-conscious? Is your home routinely empty for long periods of time (while you vacation, for example)?

Whatever size tank your home needs, Bottini Fuel offers a tank protection and monitoring plan that will fit your needs. We’ll also make sure you never have to worry about your oil tank’s levels getting too low. Just sign up for our automatic delivery program and/or let us install a wireless tank monitor. That way we’ll always know how much fuel is in your tank (you will too), and we’ll make sure you never run out.

Bottini Fuel has over 70 years of experience keeping our customers comfortable and safe in their homes. We make thousands of heating oil deliveries every year and would love to welcome you into our family of satisfied customers. Click here to see which of our many locations serves your area.

Contact us today to learn more about our reliable oil delivery and fair price guarantee. With locations serving New York’s Hudson Valley as well as parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we’ve got you covered.