NEK Residents Preparing for Winter
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- Created on Monday, 24 September 2012 15:25
- Written by Peter Lipomi
NORTHEAST KINGDOM - The fall season has arrived in the Northeast Kingdom, bringing colder temperatures and changing the way Vermonters heat their homes based on fluctuating fuel costs.
According to the Vermont Fuel Price Report, produced by the Department of Public Service, heating oil is currently just over three dollars and seventy cents per gallon, while propane is almost a dollar less, at just over two dollars and eighty cents per gallon.
The report also states that propane is less efficient as it produces almost 50,000 less BTU's (British Thermal Units) than heating oil.
William Simpson, General Manager of Bourne's Energy in Lyndonville, says that propane users are finding new ways to add extra heat to their homes by burning wood pellets. By burning cheap and efficient pellets along with propane heat, homeowners are provided with a combination with low costs.
"There's a lot of technology now with pellet boilers, separate units... so it's a little bit of a variety to help control the oil prices," said Simpson.
The Fuel Price Report projects oil prices will decrease in the upcoming months as the "market recovers and transitions from summer-grade to winter-grade gasoline specifications." Summer-grade gasoline require more additives and oxygenates in order to burn cleaner during the summer months. These additions lead to a more expensive gasoline in the summer.
Many companies, like Bourne's Energy, offer plans that allow customers to help offset the seasonal fluctuations and uncertainties in the market.
"Unfortunately, they're turning into more of a car payment, but it's easier for a lot of people to budget it and pay a monthly fee for 8 to 10 months, instead of getting a bill all at once."
Simpson encourages residents to make sure there homes have proper insulation to secure the heat in the house.
