An Oil Faux Pas Teaches a New Level of Oil Conservation

I’m not sure if it’s more energy efficient or not, but an oil oversight caused me to become even more oil efficient than I usually am.

Here’s the scoop. I have a difficult time reading my oil gauge. For some reason I panic every time it gets to the 4th level indicator. I always think the tank is about dry and I’m in need of oil (there are 5 indicator levels).

Well, it got to the 4th level and I called the oil company for a delivery. Boy was I surprised when they told me that they wouldn’t be able to deliver for a week. Yes, a full 7 whole days! Well, I went into shutdown mode (my poor family).

Shut Down Mode

Out came the extra clothes and down went the heat. I washed clothes in cold water and eventually, in my state of panic, ran out and purchased a self-contained oil heater. I call it my little heat puppy since it’s portable and has wheels. I’ve got to say it’s an efficient little fellow.

Anyway, during the time of extreme oil conservation, I realized that my little heat puppy is probably a better alternative during the day when the kids are at school and I’m working in my home office. Rather than heat an entire zone of the house with oil, all I have to heat is my little office area. My home office is not that large and my heat puppy heats it well (a little too well so I have to use the minimum heat setting).

I guess I’ll know for sure when I receive my electricity bill, but I’m thinking that I inadvertently stumbled onto a bit of energy savings. After all, when I work, I pretty much stay in the office except to get a cup of coffee or to let it out.

The Oil Gauge

Oh, and by the way, they came to deliver the oil only to find out that I had nothing to worry about. I probably could have gone another week without a delivery. Oh well, everything happens for a reason. If I work my little heat puppy right, I might not have to have another oil delivery for quite some time.

P.S. – After writing this post, I went downstairs to look at the oil gauge and take a picture of it. Do you know this is the first time that I actually got close enough to it to notice that the gauge actually has markings that say “Full, ¾, ½, ¼, Empty?” I ought to be ashamed of myself.

Since it’s located in the back of the garage (where the largest and juiciest and thickest spiders reside), I never get too close to read it. I stand in the middle of the garage to look and see how high or low the yellow floatie thing is and which black line it’s near. If it’s near the 4th line, it’s time to call the oil company.