If you just bought your first home in Maine or New Hampshire and it heats with oil or propane, you're joining a long tradition in New England — but if you grew up with natural gas or electric heat, the whole system can feel unfamiliar. No meter automatically tracks usage; someone has to fill a physical tank, and you'll need to learn a few new terms and make a few decisions before your first winter. Here's a plain-language rundown.
Understanding Your Fuel Tank
Unlike natural gas, which arrives through a utility line, oil and propane are stored in a tank on your property and delivered by truck. A few basics:
- Tanks can be located indoors (often in a basement or utility room)
or outdoors, either above ground or, less commonly today, below ground.
- Your tank has a gauge that shows roughly how full it is — get familiar with where it is and how to read it early on.
- Tank size varies, which affects how often you'll need deliveries; a previous owner or home inspection report may note your tank's size and age.
- If you don't know your tank's age or condition, it's worth having it inspected, especially if you're not sure when it was last serviced.
Schedule a tank inspection
Delivery Options: Automatic vs. Will-Call
One of the first decisions you'll make as a new customer is how you want fuel delivered:
- Automatic Delivery tracks your estimated usage (based on factors like your home's size, past consumption, and weather) and schedules deliveries before you're likely to run low — the simplest option if you don't want to think about it.
- Will-Call means you contact Fielding's yourself when you want a delivery, which gives you more control but requires you to keep an eye on your tank gauge so you don't run out.
Most first-time oil or propane homeowners find Automatic Delivery gives real peace of mind, since running out of fuel in the middle of winter is a much bigger inconvenience than it would be with a utility-metered fuel.
Setting Up Service & Payment Options
Once you know your tank and delivery preference, a few other things to set up as a new customer:
- A new customer account, which usually involves basic information about your home and heating system.
- A service contract, if you'd like routine maintenance and priority service included rather than paying per visit.
- Price Protection, which lets you lock in a rate for the season instead of paying the market price at each delivery.
- A Budget Plan, which spreads your estimated annual heating cost into equal monthly payments instead of larger bills concentrated in winter.
Basic Maintenance & Who to Call
A few habits worth building early as a new oil or propane homeowner:
- Schedule annual burner or boiler service, ideally before your first full winter in the home, especially if you don't know the system's service history.
- Learn where your emergency shut-off is for both the heating system and the fuel supply.
- Save Fielding's contact information somewhere easy to find, including the number for 24/7 emergency service.
- Don't ignore warning signs like unusual smells, odd burner sounds, or a furnace that seems to be running constantly without keeping the house warm — these are worth a service call, not a wait-and-see approach.
[INTERNAL LINK: /emergency-services "Fielding's 24/7 Emergency Services"]
Conclusion
Moving into a home with oil or propane heat for the first time comes with a short learning curve, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Get to know your tank, pick a delivery option that fits how hands-on you want to be, and get a service visit scheduled before winter really sets in. If you have questions as a new customer, call Fielding's at
1-800-491-3194 — someone can walk you through your options.
Get started as a new Fielding's customer
