Folder · 5 pages
Heating Oil, From Delivery to Burner
Heating oil still warms about half of Maine's households and more than a third in New Hampshire and Vermont; this section covers the fuel, the burner, the yearly service and how delivery is sold.
Written by the Fill Pipe desk from state, federal and maker documents · how the pages are made · Updated
First tap of the season
- Fuel oil is the main heating fuel for 50.3% of Maine households, 37.0% in New Hampshire, 35.5% in Vermont and 14.6% in New York (2024 data, EIA).
- EIA's residential survey dated October 26, 2026 put heating oil at $6.040 a gallon in Maine, $6.068 in New Hampshire, $6.095 in Vermont and $6.441 in New York, excluding taxes.
- A gallon of heating oil holds 138,500 Btu, the EIA figure Fill Pipe uses for every comparison.
- New York requires at least 10% biodiesel in heating oil sold statewide since July 1, 2025 (ECL § 19-0327); Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont had no blend rule Fill Pipe could find in October 2026.
- Burner makers Weil-McLain and Riello say press a stopped burner's reset once, then call for service.
- Heating oil prices aren't set by government in New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine; each state's agency says they're market prices.
Stop and call if
- The burner won't start after one press of the reset, or it stops again.
- You smell strong oil or exhaust, or see smoke or soot puffing from the burner.
- Oil is on the floor, under the tank or around the filter.
- The CO alarm sounds or anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea: everyone outside, then call 911 from outside.
- If you're unsure, stop and call your supplier or a licensed technician.
What should heating oil homes know first?
Heating oil is the region's dominant heating fuel, so the basics are shared by a lot of neighbors: most U.S. heating oil users are in the Northeast, according to EIA's heating oil overview. EIA's 2024 state profiles count fuel oil as the main heat in about half of Maine households, and EIA says Maine's share of homes heating with petroleum products is the largest of any state.
The system has three parts you'll hear about: the tank, usually a 275-gallon steel tank in the basement; the burner, which sprays and lights the oil; and the furnace or boiler it fires. The tanks and gauges section covers the tank. This section covers the fuel, the burner and how the oil gets to you.
Prices move with the market. New Hampshire's Department of Energy says deliverable fuels such as fuel oil and kerosene "are not controlled by government regulation," and Vermont's Attorney General says the same for Vermont.
What is bioheat?
Bioheat is heating oil blended with biodiesel, and a DOE/NREL report says a B5 blend still qualifies as ordinary heating oil under the ASTM spec. New York's statewide minimum is 10% since July 1, 2025 and rises to 20% on July 1, 2030, under ECL § 19-0327; the rule doesn't apply to kerosene. The bioheat fuel page explains the B numbers and what they mean for an older burner.
What should you do when the burner stops?
When the burner stops, run four no-tool checks (thermostat, heating switch, breaker panel, oil gauge), then press the reset once at most; Riello's 40 Series owner instructions list those checks, and Weil-McLain says repeated presses leave oil in the combustion chamber. If it won't start or quits again, call for service.
If the tank is empty, the reset won't help. The burner usually needs a technician to prime it after a run-out; Maine's statute lets a delivery driver with board-approved training do it. The reset button page and the ran out of heating oil page walk through both cases.
How often does an oil system need service?
An oil system needs professional service once a year: Beckett's AF/AFG burner manual says a qualified technician "must service this burner annually." Weil-McLain's boiler schedule puts that call at the beginning of each heating season, and CPSC, CDC and NFPA recommend yearly inspection of all fuel-burning heating equipment. What the visit should include is on the oil furnace and boiler service page.
How do heating oil delivery plans work?
Heating oil is sold either on automatic delivery, where the dealer tracks your use and comes on schedule, or when you call, with budget and pre-buy payment plans layered on top; Maine's Department of Energy Resources suggests asking about automatic delivery so you don't accidentally run out. In Maine, the Attorney General's Chapter 100 rules govern oil sales from October 15 to April 30, and New Hampshire's Department of Energy explains that a budget plan spreads payments over 10 or 11 months but isn't meant to save money. Compare them on the heating oil delivery plans page.
Every heating oil page
Is kerosene the same as heating oil?
Kerosene is a lighter fuel than No. 2 heating oil and costs more per gallon; EIA's glossary defines No. 2 heating oil as the distillate used in atomizing burners for home heating and kerosene as a lighter distillate. ASTM D396 describes the lighter No. 1 grades as particularly adapted to places where storage conditions require a low pour point fuel, which is why the question comes up for outdoor tanks.
Each state's own survey shows the gap. Maine DOER's October 19, 2026 survey lists kerosene at $6.99 against $6.04 for heating oil; New Hampshire's Department of Energy, on October 26, 2026, lists $6.91 against $6.04. New Hampshire's table also lists kerosene at 135,000 Btu per gallon against 138,500 for heating oil.
| State | Price per gallon | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | $6.040 | up $2.791 |
| New Hampshire | $6.068 | up $2.587 |
| Vermont | $6.095 | up $2.629 |
| New York | $6.441 | up $2.538 |
Heating oil in the region
- 50.3%of Maine households heat mainly with fuel oil (2024)EIA
- 138,500Btu in a gallon of heating oilEIA
- $6.441per gallon, New York residential oil, week of 10/26/26EIA
- 10%New York's minimum biodiesel blend since July 1, 2025NY ECL § 19-0327
Every oil page links to the safety folder; start with oil smell in the house and carbon monoxide.
Scaler's notes: how this page was put together
This section's figures come from EIA's 2024 state energy profiles, EIA's heating oil overview, heat content table and glossary, EIA's Heating Oil and Propane Update dated 10/26/26, Maine DOER's October 19, 2026 survey, New Hampshire Department of Energy's October 26, 2026 table, the Vermont Attorney General, New York ECL § 19-0327, and the Riello, Weil-McLain and Beckett manuals, all read October 2026. EIA's "fuel oil" share includes kerosene. State surveys and EIA use different methods, so their numbers are never mixed in one comparison.
Questions from the woodshed
Why do EIA and the state surveys show different oil prices?
They sample differently. Vermont's Public Service Department notes that EIA weights prices by estimated volume and uses a smaller sample, and Maine's survey reports cash prices. Use one source for any comparison.
How long does a 275-gallon tank of oil last?
It depends on the house, the weather and the equipment, and no primary source gives a single figure. The tank is 275 gallons nominal; ask your dealer for its fill limit and track your own deliveries.
Is heating oil the same as diesel?
They're close cousins under different ASTM standards: heating oil under D396 and diesel under D975. Use only what your dealer delivers for your burner.
Does bioheat cost more than regular heating oil?
The state surveys Fill Pipe quotes don't report blends separately, so ask your dealer for both prices in writing.
Where can you get help paying for heating oil?
New York HEAP through OTDA (regular benefits for 2026-27 open Nov. 2, 2026), Vermont's Seasonal Fuel Assistance through the Department for Children and Families, the New Hampshire Fuel Assistance Program, and Maine HEAP through MaineHousing and local Community Action Agencies.
Who can work on an oil burner in Maine?
State law in Maine makes a Fuel Board license the rule for anyone installing or servicing oil burners. The narrow exception covers an owner working on the single-family home they live in, and that work still has to follow Board rules; a licensed technician is the safe call.