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Dear Friends,
We’re sure all of you followed the debacle of power outages in Texas over the winter. It seems as if three or four times per year, a storm knocks out our power, leaving tens of thousands of families without energy for days—or even weeks.
More than anything, this has exposed the fragility of the nation’s electric grid. That’s why it’s so concerning that many state governments are rushing ahead on an “electrify everything” path to reduce carbon emissions. We believe that we must take aggressive steps to address climate change—and we’re doing that with the help of today’s highly efficient heating oil.
For context, here’s a look at what’s happening in New York: In 2019, Albany passed the CLCPA*, a law that requires radical reductions in carbon emissions. Of course, that didn’t include how much it would cost, who would cover the cost or how it would all work. From what we can see, this law’s implementation could be a nightmare that would raise all energy prices, add onerous taxes and equipment surcharges, force people to abandon the heating systems they like, and disregard climate improvements that could be made without “electrifying everything.”
Alternatively, we, and others in the liquid fuels industry, continue to offer a solution that immediately reduces every customer’s carbon footprint dramatically without regressive taxes, additional equipment cost to consumers or overloading the electric grid. We need thoughtful policy that balances the need to address our climate without putting all of our eggs into one fragile energy basket. Please go to StopNYCarbonTax.com to learn more about these concerns and to send a message to New York legislators to let them know you oppose carbon taxes.
As always, please let us know what we can do to help you, because with Hometowne Energy, you always get Service, Quality and Value—Guaranteed.
Warmly,
John Campbell
General Manager
*Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
Price protection is now open! Take advantage of our PreBuy options, which include both Capped Pricing and Fixed Pricing. And our current discounts will save you up to 20 cents per gallon—with either option!
Q: When is the best time for an A/C tune-up?
A: As soon as possible. We want to accommodate the time and day you need. The sooner you contact us, the more likely we are to be able to come at the most convenient time for you. Having your tune-up sooner also allows time in the event that you need a more major repair, or even an upgrade.
Q: Do I really need an A/C tune-up?
A: Yes. A tune-up, aka “system cleaning,” allows our technicians to detect and fix minor problems before they turn into expensive and inconvenient breakdowns over the winter. And even if your system doesn’t have any major issues, annual system maintenance maximizes operating efficiency, improves your home’s comfort level and saves you money in the long run.
Warm weather brings us rewards — and challenges. If you’re having difficulty keeping your home healthy and comfortable, call us. We can help!
You can greatly improve your home’s indoor air quality by making some simple lifestyle choices and a couple of smart investments.
You may sometimes forget to change the air filter on your furnace or air conditioning system and that can negatively impact your indoor air quality. Check your HVAC filter about once a month and change or clean it as needed. This is especially important if someone in your home has a respiratory condition, or if you have pets. In these situations, you may need to change or clean the filter more frequently.
Professional maintenance for your heating or cooling system will keep your equipment working well, your air circulating properly and humidity levels under control. If you haven’t scheduled your annual HVAC maintenance service yet this year, contact us today to make an appointment.
Consider installing indoor air quality (IAQ) equipment such as an air purification system. This IAQ solution safely removes the risks of many airborne and surface bacteria, mold spores and viruses. It also eliminates cooking odors. A whole house humidification system is also recommended.
Many cleaning and personal care products use scent as a way to make them more attractive. But the scents added to products like air fresheners, soaps, detergents, all-purpose cleaners and other products can result in hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being released into your home.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs can create health problems ranging from throat, eye and nose irritation to dizziness to even liver or kidney damage. Make an effort to use unscented products. You can still add a pleasant smell to your home with essential oils and a diffuser.
TIP: The EPA offers a Safer Choice guide for finding better cleaning options that won’t harm your indoor air quality — or you. To learn more, visit EPA.gov/saferchoice.
Humidity can create all sorts of problems. If the air is too humid during the summer, it can encourage the growth and spread of mold. Research has shown that molds can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and even lung infections in people with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems.
Houseplants are nature’s air filter. Studies have shown that plants can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and other toxins from the air and replace them with oxygen. Some good choices for clearing the air include bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, ficus, gerbera, Golden Pothos, peace lily, philodendron, pot mum, and spider plants.
Planning a home improvement project? Use products that are low-VOC and mold resistant, such as fiberglass-covered drywall or gypsum board and low-VOC paint.
We all love our hobbies, but some of them use some pretty toxic materials. If you plan to strip paint, use adhesives or do any other activities that expose you to harmful vapors, be sure to do it in a well-vented room — or better yet, work outside whenever possible.
Our IAQ experts will be glad to help improve the air quality in your home. Contact us today to learn more.
As the days of uncertainty linger on, there’s still one thing we know for sure. It’s going to get hot sometime this summer.
So the last thing you want is for your cooling system to shut down on a hot, steamy day.
If you’ve had your system checked out this spring already and your service technician gave it a thumbs-up, then you should be all set to beat the heat.
But if you’re relying on an old system that uses outdated R22 refrigerant, you risk a summer breakdown, not to mention high repair costs. An older system will also drain more electricity, making your cooling costs higher than they should be.
A new high-efficiency system could cut your cooling costs in half — and eliminate the expense and annoyance of breakdowns — while keeping your home more comfortable, no matter how high the mercury soars.
Our cooling experts can evaluate your needs and help you choose a cooling system that’s the right size for your home.
To protect your investment in a new system, we recommend that you enroll in our cooling service plan. This ensures that you will get the maintenance that’s required to keep your equipment warranty intact.
Electricity is often touted as a “clean” energy source, but that assertion becomes less convincing when you take a closer look. Here’s a look at a few comparisons of propane to electricity.
Rebates, incentives and special deals are all in full effect. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your old heating system or installing a new storage tank, we’ll show you how we can help you save on your purchase. Conditions apply.
If you are pleased with our services, we would truly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to post a review online—on Google, our Facebook page or through our website. Your feedback means the world to us, just as these recent online customer reviews do.
“Renting a residence, that for the first time required me to heat using oil. I submitted a request for how the process worked and the staff at Hometowne Energy were awesome at explaining the process from setting up an account to when to alert them to come and refill the tank. Very professional and accessible at all times!”
—Mark M., Geneseo, NY
“Great service, reasonable pricing, and quick response times.”
—John C., Hamlin, NY
“Hometowne Energy has been great as my propane supplier, anyone I have had contact with has been very kind and helpful!”
—Stacy S., Bergen, NY