IMPORTANT – MONTHLY BUDGET CUSTOMERS
First and foremost, thank you for relying on Rand-Handy to provide your home heating needs. We place great value on our customer relationships and we appreciate your continued patronage. We also want you to know that the decline in oil prices over the last several months has been a welcome surprise to all of us. When we started the Budget Payments for this season, we based the amount on a price per gallon of more than a dollar higher than it is today. Because of this, we have lowered the monthly payment amount for most of you, and that change will be reflected in this months (February) statement. For those of you who have auto payments sent directly from your bank, please remember to update that if your budget amount has changed. If you have any questions about any of this, please call us at 781-834-8831. Thank you again for all of the confidence you place in us to care for you and your family.
FOUL WEATHER FRIENDS ARE HARD TO COME BY
“Bits and Pieces”
A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in the city and attached the following message to the windshield: “I have circled this block 10 times and have an appointment to keep. Forgive us our trespasses.”
When he returned to his car he found his own note along with a ticket with its own note: “I have circled this block for 10 years. If I don’t give you a ticket, I will lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.”
EDITORS NOTE:
The Blizzard of 2015—Another challenge for us hearty New Englanders was thrown at us this week. It sure was difficult with the amount of snow and wind involved, but with minimal power loss, it seemed like a breeze (pun intended) compared to Nemo in 2013. (That storm is one that I will always use as a measuring stick.) For those of you who have cleared your driveway, and cleared a path to the fill pipe, THANK YOU – It is much appreciated! I also want to take a minute and thank the oil drivers, service technicians, and office staff for a job well done this week. We all made it through safely thanks to your hard work and dedication.
Think About ItDon’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. |
A Note from our Service Department
When is the last time you changed the batteries in your automatic, setback thermostat? This is a cause of several “No-Heat” calls from our customers. You should do this twice a year. A good schedule to follow is the same as your smoke detectors in the house. When you change the clocks for daylight savings, it’s time to change the batteries. So if you have not done it in a while, now is the time.
WORRIED ABOUT FROZEN PIPES? HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT MIGHT HELP
- On the really cold nights, keep the thermostats up. If you normally turn down the temperature 8-10 degrees when you go to bed, that’s a period of time where the boiler won’t come on and circulate water through the pipes. A pipe in a cold area with any kind of draft can freeze quickly. (I know, easy for the oil guy to say, right?) Well, the amount of money you may spend keeping the heat up is a lot less than a repair bill for a frozen pipe.
- Open cabinets under the sink in the kitchen and bathroom, especially when they are mounted on an outside wall. This allows air to circulate in the area where the hot and cold pipes are located.
- Going away? Have someone check the house when you are gone. Or better yet, install a temperature sensor that will alert you when the temperature in the house drops too low. Call us for more information on this equipment.
- If you have a room above the garage, or even pipes in the garage, don’t leave the garage doors open any longer than necessary.
- For those of you who use a wood or gas stove for supplemental heat, remember that if the thermostat for your heating system is in this room, and the room is warm, the thermostat won’t tell the boiler to come on. This means that if you have any pipes on that heating zone in a cold or drafty area, they will not have any water circulation through them. This makes them at risk for freezing.
- If you have a pipe that is already frozen, do your best to get air moving in the area of the frozen pipe. Even a fan blowing air in that direction will work with a little bit of time. Best turn off the water and take the pressure off of that pipe. When pipes freeze, the ice can expand and split the pipe. When it thaws it will likely leak and if it is under pressure, it can make for quite a mess. If this is a heating pipe, give us a call and we will be right over to help.
| Q: What do you call a deer with no eyes? A: No idea. (No-eyed-deer) |
FEBRUARY DATES TO REMEMBER
Feb. 2nd — Groundhog Day (will he see his shadow?)
Feb. 14th — Valentines Day. Don’t forget that special someone in your life.
Feb. 16th — Presidents Day/Washington’s Birthday. Our office will be closed, but our emergency service is always available, 24 hours a day.
Feb. 18th — Ash Wednesday
Feb. 21st — Maple Syrup begins to run.
Feb. 26th — Red Wing Blackbirds return.
JANUARY OIL DRAWING WINNERS
1st Prize: Mark S., Marshfield
2nd Prize: Gareth E., Marshfield
3rd Prize: Keith P., Marshfield
Please note that you can now enter the oil drawing online. Please complete the form below to be entered in next month’s drawing.
CONGRATULATIONS to OUR Winners!