education foundation - consumer information about heating oil
- Connecticut Wins with Green Energy and Investing
In Energy Efficiency and We Can Help
Green is smart. Environmentally
friendly. Homegrown. Renewable. Green gives you more for your money. And
when you look closely, Oilheat has been going green for years. No other
energy source has come close to reducing greenhouse emissions like
Oilheat has.
Through advancing technology, consumer education, equipment maintenance,
financing and tax credit programs, and now with BioHeat, the new
alternative fuel from renewable, domestically grown agricultural
products - we continue to lead the way in reducing emissions, lowering
Connecticut's carbon footprint, and ultimately putting a little more
green in your pocket. How's that for intelligent warmth!
There is always someone coming along claiming to be an "insider," usually accompanied by a claim that this "inside" position gives the person special knowledge that only they have. These claims are first made by trying to convince consumers they are being short-changed or mistreated and that "they" know how the consumer is being mistreated - and for a fee of some kind, or with an offer to sell the consumer a book - the consumer can learn more about the mistreatment and avoid it. These are scams themselves, usually, and generally come from people who have no "inside" knowledge at all. In fact, one such recent perpetrator of this practice in Connecticut was nothing more than a disaffected former employee of an advertising company and the extent of the "insider" status was as a brochure salesman who no longer works for the company. This person has never worked in an oil or HVAC company before, has never held a professional license in our industry in our state or any other to be able to comment on anything about our industry with any authority. He referred to our industry as his "meal ticket." The meal ticket was to be paid by unsuspecting consumers.
ICPA isn't popular with these scam artists - who come to us looking for an endorsement and, when they don't get it, decide to try to turn us into the bad guys. We don't pay a dime for tribute or extortion.
ICPA represents hundreds of companies who serve 682,000 consumers. One claimant of "insider" status tries to scare consumers into believing consumers should listen to this person because, the claimant would have us believe, 300 complaints had been filed with the Department of Consumer Protection last year and there are only 637 companies in the whole state! The real math is 300 complaints out of 682,000 consumers - a complaint rate of .0004%.
Consumers don't need to subscribe to special services, buy books or enlist in secret, behind the scenes websites.
- ITEC has trained, state-licensed instructors in the HVAC disciplines who frequently serve as expert witnesses in court proceedings. Consumers may contact these personnel at any time with questions. Contact either Chris Jordyn at jordyn@icpa.org or Mike Sola at mike@icpa.org or call us toll-free at 1-866-521-ICPA.
- The Chair of the State of Connecticut Heating & Cooling Board is Mr. Robert Barrieau and he may be contacted at bbarrieau@barrieauoil.com
- The Department of Consumer Protection has a unit for responding to consumer complaints and the head of that office is Mr. James Turner. Mr. Turner may be contacted at James.Turner@ct.gov
- The Office of the Attorney General has a Consumer Protection unit headed by Mr. Thomas Saadi. You may reach Mr. Saadi at Thomas.Saadi@po.state.ct.us
- There are plenty of real experts around, people who have actually run companies and dealt with energy and HVAC issues who have since sold their companies and serve now as real consultants. ICPA would be happy to provide a list of such real consultants upon request.
If you have a concern, or even just a question, about your interaction with a heating oil or HVAC company, please use the FREE resources available to you and have your questions or concerns addressed.
Don't become the unwitting dupe of a scam artist who claims to have inside secrets - chances are that claim is, in and of itself, a scam designed to do nothing more than separate you from your hard earned money.
Thirty years ago the average heating oil consumer used approximately 1,200 gallons per year. Today, that same consumer uses 700 gallons. No other energy source has reduced per-consumer consumption as successfully as oil heat. The oil heat industry has brought new, improved technologies to the marketplace that enable today's consumer to be just as warm and comfortable as ever while using 41% less fuel. You can learn more about energy conservation here.
America's newest
alternative fuel is here today - BioHeat. Clean, Renewable energy
with Domestic content that dramatically reduces reliance on foreign
energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and red
uces
your home or business's carbon footprint.
Learn
more about America's newest alternative fuel here.
You can contact a
Connecticut BioHeat Retailer
by going here.
Now you can perform a self-audit of your home's energy efficiency - all based on your individual home's energy source and construction. Here you can gain valuable insights into the things YOU can do in your home to improve on energy efficiency and save money. Find the Home Energy Saver HERE
There are a number of
important consumer/commercial energy tax credits that can make upgrading
to high efficiency systems easier and even more cost-effective.
The February, 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act created a
$1,500 consumer tax credit for certain energy efficiency improvements.
Learn more about tax incentives at the state and federal level so that
you can make maximum use of your energy efficiency improvement dollars!
- ICPA Bulletin on Federal Energy Tax Credits
- Connecticut's Tax Holiday on High Efficiency Equipment and Weatherization Products - Does YOUR Dealer Participate?
- CT-DRS Notice on Sales and Use Tax Exemptions on Certain Lightbulbs
- Boiler & Furnace $500
Rebate Program - The Office of Policy and Management has released the
information for the $500 rebate program for the replacement of oil
fired heating systems that are at least 84% AFUE. The program is
retroactive to July 1, 2007 and continues to July 1, 2017 while funds
are available. Rebates up to $500 will be made directly to consumers
and are determined by income. For more information and an application
click here>
http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?a=2994&q=420476&opmNav_GID=1808.
Greenecticut
also means you save hard earned cash by installing the latest in
high-efficiency equipment. Your lo
cal
ICPA full-service heating oil retailer or HVAC contractor can assist you
with financing your energy conservation up-grade through AFC
First/Energy Loans
http://www.energyloan.net
-
Zero Interest Heating
System Program Available
The
State of Connecticut has approved a residential energy conservation
loan program at 0% interest for heating systems that meet or exceed
84% AFUE. The program is available based on income levels up to 200%
of the median income of the county that qualified work is being
performed in (see attached chart). ICPA encourages you to have your
customers contact CHIF (1-800-992-3665) directly to determine if they
are eligible. More information and applications can be found at
http://www.chif.org/owner_borrowers/index.shtml#energy
ICPA supports the efforts of
Connecticut's "Operation Fuel," where we join with this important
non-profit organization in raising voluntary contributions to h
elp
those who are less fortunate pay their heating oil and utility bills. To
make a contribution to Operation Fuel click on this logo and you will be
taken to the Operation Fuel website.
ICPA's promotion of the latest in Oilheat technology is actually a combination of several 21st century innovations from a number of equipment manufacturers - things like side-wall venting, indirect water heating, and higher efficiency standards. Newer furnaces and boilers are smaller, quieter, and they work wonderfully with other new home heating technologies like programmable thermostats and radiant flooring. Today's high technology energy solutions reach efficiencies of 90% or higher and dramatically reduce consumption, emissions and save energy dollars. See examples here http://icpa.org/commercial.html
Utilities don't usually
perform their own service. Call the natural gas utility for help and if
gas isn't leaking - they tell y
ou
to call a plumber. ICPA's Oilheat System Report Card is a powerful tool
for consumers to underscore how your full service oil heat retailer's trusted professionals evaluate your heating system and make
recommendations for how to become as efficient as possible
- while
reducing emissions and saving money. This tool, in the hands of the
professional, licensed Energy Conservation Technician allows consumers
to take control of their energy costs.
Over
the past 10 years heating oil has been 6% lower in price than natural
gas. Over the past 15 years heating oil has been 15% lower in price than
natural gas. Over the past 20 years heating oil has been 16% lower in
price than natural gas. Heating oil consumers have saved an average of
$1,059 by using heating oil rather than natural gas over the last 10
years, over the last 20 years those same consumers saved an average of
$2,946
Read more by clicking HERE
The Principle component of natural gas is methane. Learn more about how methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Global Warming:
What is "methane" and how does it contribute to global warming?
With natural gas and electric utilities, consumers have no choice between energy providers. The consumer is stuck with the one company and has no choice. With heating oil the consumer may choose between dozens of companies who all compete for the right to serve the consumer. This competitive marketplace has created choices for consumers in price, payment plans, and service. If the consumer doesn't like one oil heat company - the consumer can switch to another company.
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