Moving into a New Home: 7 Things to Consider About Your New Home Heating System

It’s that time of year when many of us may be moving to a home using heating oil, propane, or natural gas. Here’s a checklist of what to consider about your new home heating system.

1.  What is the age of the heating oil or propane tank and furnace?  And when will I need to replace them?

Find out the age of the major pieces of heating equipment.  The guide below will give you some estimates on the life span of heating equipment. Keep in mind these are only guidelines as every system is slightly different. Specific timeframes vary, but here are some general replacement periods:

• Oil Tank (steel): 10 years – you should check with your home insurance company for their requirements
• Oil Tank (fiberglass): up to 25 years – you should check with your home insurance company for their requirements
• Oil Hot Water Heater: varies depending on the water going into it, please consult a heating professional
• Oil Furnace or Boiler: 20+ years if maintained properly
• Propane Furnace or Boiler: 20+ years if maintained properly

2.  How much does it cost to heat the home?

Find out how much fuel the previous owner used on an annual basis and what today’s current fuel price is and then calculate approximately how much it costs to heat your new home.  It’s best to use a time frame from July to June so you ensure the usage you’re given includes an entire heating season. To find a current price, give us a call at 1.888.310.1924 or fill out our online quote request.

3.  What is the maintenance history of the heating equipment?

Equipment should be maintained every year with an annual cleaning. The current owner can provide information about when the cleanings occurred and if there were any major repairs.

4.  How much does it cost to maintain the system?

Ask the previous owner what he or she spent on annual maintenance.  You can also find out much it costs to maintain the system by looking at the maintenance history.  Average costs to maintain include cleanings, service repairs, or an equipment protection plan.

5.  Understand your obligations for the heating equipment.  Are there any rental, lease, or finance agreements on the equipment?

Find out if the existing owner has any contracts on any equipment at the location such as a water heater rental, propane cylinder rental, or lease on the furnace. This information should be included in your home purchase and sale agreement.  It’s important for you to know if you have obligations relative to these contracts.

6.  What happens to the heating oil or propane in the tank when you close on the home?

It’s important to clarify whether you’ll be purchasing any heating oil or propane remaining in the tank on the date of sale. This should be included in your home purchase and sale agreement.  In many cases the previous owner will top the tank off so an accurate cost can be calculated for how much product is in the tank.

7.  Familiarize yourself with basic safety requirements of your heating system.

Please visit our website to view more information on propane and heating oil safety.

For information on natural gas safety, please visit Safegas.org.

 

We can help you move with our Easy Move Team

We know that moving can be stressful. To help we’ve created a specialized team who is focused on helping customers with their moving process.  Our Easy Move Team works with you as well as your realtors and lawyers to provide necessary information and documentation to ensure that your move goes smoothly.

If you are moving please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions you may have at 1.888.310.1924. We’re here to help.

 

Posted on July 14, 2011, by Dave Maclean