Winter Fuel Delivery Information You Should Know

Help Keep Our Drivers—and Your Loved Ones—Safe!

It only takes a little ice or frozen slush to make the driveway, walkway, or path to your front door treacherous. Now imagine navigating a snowy, icy path while maneuvering a heavy hose to deliver fuel! Winter weather here in Southern Maine creates added challenges for our drivers. Our guys are some of the very best at what they do and can make wrangling a delivery hose and maneuvering large transport trucks look easy… but it’s far from a simple task. And if they can’t do their jobs safely, it might be the difference between a full or empty fuel tank.

Here’s how you can make deliveries safer for our drivers—both before and after big storms—so they can get their work done efficiently and get to everyone quickly:

Winter Storm Preparedness Tips

1. When clearing your driveway after snow, keep in mind that our trucks need a 9- to 10-foot-wide path to maneuver safely—and we will NOT deliver fuel if your driveway isn’t plowed. Marking the edges makes it easier to navigate, especially on steep driveways. Remember, just because you can get your car down your driveway doesn’t mean our 15-ton fuel truck can make it too.
2. Be sure the path to your fill pipe is free of debris or branches and clear a path about a foot wide after a snowfall.
3. After a storm, check for downed trees, branches, and power lines that may obstruct any access to your equipment.
4. Is your tank underground? Marking its location with a pole topped with a bright-colored flag or ribbon makes it far more visible over snowbanks and drifts so we know where to go.

Winter Safety for Your Home and Family

Maintaining a wide space around your vents makes clearing snow and ice easier after storms. Wind, snow and ice can take damage lines and block vents, resulting in potentially dangerous situations for your home and family.

• If you use propane in your home, you and your family should brush up on propane safety and know what to do if you suspect a leak. You’ll know it by the rotten-egg smell of propane gas. Small propane leaks can be created or made worse by storms.
• Be sure vents are not blocked by snow, ice, or fallen leaves. Your heating system won’t work effectively. Blockages also increase the risk of carbon monoxide buildup in your home.
• Test your carbon monoxide detectors. Winter is the most dangerous time when it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning because windows are typically shut tight, and the heat is on. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations and change batteries if needed.
• Charge your devices. When bad weather is in the forecast, make sure your phones, laptops, and tablets are fully charged—especially if you live in an area prone to outages. If you have portable chargers, charge those as well.

Want one more tip for winter peace of mind? When you sign up for our convenient, FREE automatic delivery service, you never have to worry about running out of heating oil or propane! That’s because our proven method tracks your usage alongside the real-time weather patterns to make sure you have the fuel you need, when you need it, no matter what Mother Nature throws our way.

Our delivery drivers are the best on the road. They’re out there in all kinds of weather to ensure you stay comfortable. They get an assist from the “snow fighters” of the Maine DOT, but you can do your part by keeping your driveways clear. Our drivers will certainly thank you!

Need more information? Need help clearing your driveway? Contact us today.