Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If your oil tank has a gauge, it is typically located on top of the tank. The gauge will look something like this:

Simply read the level on the glass to ascertain how much oil is left in your tank. Keep in mind that gauges on oil tanks are not considered to be 100% accurate. The most accurate way to know how much is in your oil tank is to stick your oil tank.

The most accurate way to know how much oil you have in your tank is to stick your oil tank. This is done by unscrewing and removing the plug as pictured below. Then, read the number of inches on your measuring stick. An upright tank will measure 44 inches when full.

Automatic delivery offers you a no run-out guarantee with the peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about checking your tank or rely on your gauge to be correct. Based on the temperature outside, we determine when your tank level is at or around ¼ tank. A delivery ticket will be automatically generated to fill your tank the next time we are in the area. In cases of extreme cold temperatures, we may generate tickets early to ensure our customers do not run out of fuel.

A cap price protects you against spikes in the market. Customers can sign up for a cap price for 1 or multiple seasons. Capping your rate ensures that you will never pay more than the preset cap price for the term of the program regardless of how high the market rate jumps. However, capping your price also entitles the home owner to take advantage of market dips. If the market price drops below the capped price, you will benefit from receiving the lower price. The program is designed to allow customers to save money during the peak of the season when product is in high demand.

A cap investment fee allows Shipley to provide a ceiling for how high the price can go but also allows for downward protection when the market drops. There is a cost for Shipley to secure the necessary gallons for the season and a small investment fee for customers who want to protect their rate. Our goal is to be transparent with that cost and separate it from the price per gallon charge.

A budget allows you to make equal monthly payments on your account instead of paying for deliveries and service plans as they are billed to your account. Budgets take into consideration how much product you use, the average price per gallon, service plans, fees, and any balance you might have when you sign up for the budget.

You can use your credit towards your budget payment if you have overpaid on your budget this season or if you ended last season with a credit on your account. In any other situation, your current credit is meant to cover expenses on your account during the budget season and cannot be used towards a budget payment.

Diesel or Kerosene can be added to your oil tank if you are running low and a delivery cannot be made prior to a potential run out. Best case scenario Diesel or Kerosene can be added to the tank prior to running completely out of oil. Adding the alternative product prior to a run out could potentially prevent you from the following:

• A. Having to bleed the lines and restart furnace
• B. Stirring up sludge on the bottom of the tank and causing blockages

To prevent run outs or near run outs in the future you can also sign up for automatic deliveries with Shipley, receive priority service and let us monitor the tank(s) for you.

Oil prices can fluctuate daily for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include:

• Commodities Trading – Heating oil is traded on the commodities market just like other home heating fuels. This means heating oil cost is subject to fluctuations, just like the stock market. Heating oil like any energy product responds to supply and demand fundamentals, such as cold or warm weather or supply issues in foreign countries.
• Changes in the cost of crude oil – Crude oil is a major price component of heating oil, and changes in the price of crude oil affect the price of heating oil.
• Regional operating costs – Prices also are impacted by costs of transporting the product to various locations. In addition, the cost of doing business by dealers can vary substantially depending on the area of the country in which the dealer is located.

When the tank is located indoors, the storage system will include a fill pipe and a vent pipe. The driver connects the hose from the delivery truck to the fill pipe to make the delivery of fuel. As the tank fills, the vent pipe releases air from the tank and creates a whistling sound. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires inside tanks to have a whistle that alerts the driver when the tank is full. If the whistle is not functioning properly, it is not safe to fill the tank as the driver will have no idea when the tank is reaching its capacity. This could result in overfilling a tank and spilling oil in the customer’s home or yard.

The Regulatory Compliance Fee is a way for us to recoup some of our operating expenses without raising your price per gallon. Although it is called a Regulatory Compliance Fee, there are other factors such as Hazardous Material Handling, Training, and Shipping charges factored into this fee.

Most propane tanks will have a gauge, which is located under the lid or near the shut-off valve. Once you locate the gauge, you will see a needle in the gauge that indicates the percentage of propane in the tank. So that propane gas has room to expand with changing temperatures, an above ground tank is considered full at 80% of its capacity. Unless you get automatic deliveries, you will need to regularly monitor your tank level to make sure you don’t run out. You should call Shipley Energy to request a delivery when your tank is at the 30-40% level.

The opening hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30am – 4:30pm.

1. Extinguish all smoking materials and open flames. Refrain from using any smoking materials or electrical appliances.
2. Open the windows and evacuate the area immediately.
3. Shut off the gas valve at your tank if it is safe to do so by turning the gear-like knob clockwise until it will no longer turn.
4. Contact your propane provider from a neighbor’s house or from a cell phone in a secure area away from the house/tanks. If you are unable to reach your service provider, call 911 or your local fire department.
5. Do not return to the home or building until you are cleared to do so by a qualified service technician.
6. Make sure your system is checked for leaks before resuming operation of the gas if not already completed.

Automatic delivery offers you a no run-out guarantee with the peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about checking your tank or rely on your gauge to be correct. Based on the temperature outside, we determine when your tank level is at or around ¼ tank. A delivery ticket will be automatically generated to fill your tank the next time we are in the area. In cases of extreme cold temperatures, we may generate tickets early to ensure our customers do not run out of fuel.

A cap price protects you against spikes in the market. Customers can sign up for a cap price for 1 or multiple seasons. Capping your rate ensures that you will never pay more than the preset cap price for the term of the program regardless of how high the market rate jumps. However, capping your price also entitles the home owner to take advantage of market dips. If the market price drops below the capped price, you will benefit from receiving the lower price. The program is designed to allow customers to save money during the peak of the season when product is in high demand.

A cap investment fee allows Shipley to provide a ceiling for how high the price can go but also allows for downward protection when the market drops. There is a cost for Shipley to secure the necessary gallons for the season and a small investment fee for customers who want to protect their rate. Our goal is to be transparent with that cost and separate it from the price per gallon charge.

A budget allows you to make equal monthly payments on your account instead of paying for deliveries and service plans as they are billed to your account. Budgets take into consideration how much product you use, the average price per gallon, service plans, fees, and any balance you might have when you sign up for the budget.

You can use your credit towards your budget payment if you have overpaid on your budget this season or if you ended last season with a credit on your account. In any other situation, your current credit is meant to cover expenses on your account during the budget season and cannot be used towards a budget payment.

All propane piping, connections and fittings are threaded so that they may easily connect to one another. These connections are coated with a compound that lubricates the fittings during installation and will eventually dry up. During normal usage, a propane system is at a constant pressure. As long as the tank has gas and is supplying the system with propane, a constant pressure is exerted on the piping and joint compound. The joint compound will retract if the system loses pressure. This loss of pressure may cause leaks to form because of the expansion and retraction of the joint compound. NFPA (Nation Fire Prevention Association) 54 (2006), 8.2.3 requires that “Immediately after the gas is turned on into a new system or into a system that has been initially restored after an interruption of service, the piping system shall be tested for leakage. If leakage is indicated, the gas supply shall be shut off until the necessary repairs have been made.”

The Regulatory Compliance Fee is a way for us to recoup some of our operating expenses without raising your price per gallon. Although it is called a Regulatory Compliance Fee, there are other factors such as Hazardous Material Handling, Training, and Shipping charges factored into this fee.

A cap price protects you against spikes in the market. Customers can sign up for a cap price for 1 or multiple seasons. Capping your rate ensures that you will never pay more than the preset cap price for the term of the program regardless of how high the market rate jumps. However, capping your price also entitles the home owner to take advantage of market dips. If the market price drops below the capped price, you will benefit from receiving the lower price. The program is designed to allow customers to save money during the peak of the season when product is in high demand.

A cap investment fee allows Shipley to provide a ceiling for how high the price can go but also allows for downward protection when the market drops. There is a cost for Shipley to secure the necessary gallons for the season and a small investment fee for customers who want to protect their rate. Our goal is to be transparent with that cost and separate it from the price per gallon charge.

A budget allows you to make equal monthly payments on your account instead of paying for deliveries and service plans as they are billed to your account. Budgets take into consideration how much product you use, the average price per gallon, service plans, fees, and any balance you might have when you sign up for the budget.

You can use your credit towards your budget payment if you have overpaid on your budget this season or if you ended last season with a credit on your account. In any other situation, your current credit is meant to cover expenses on your account during the budget season and cannot be used towards a budget payment.

During regular business hours, the cost for a technician to come to your home and diagnose the issue at hand is $109.95. After 3pm and on holidays, that cost is $169.95. A shop & environmental fee of $8.99 also applies to every service call. The technician will go over the cost of repair with you and have you sign off on the repair before the repair is completed.

The diagnostic fee is not applied to the cost of repairs; it covers only the expense of our technician coming out to diagnose the issue.

You can use your credit towards your budget payment if you have overpaid on your budget this season or if you ended last season with a credit on your account. In any other situation, your current credit is meant to cover expenses on your account during the budget season and cannot be used towards a budget payment.

Families in need of assistance for their fuel needs can apply for cash grants and crisis funds through LIHEAP (Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program). These federally funded programs may be able to assist qualified candidates with their heating needs for the season. Every state has different eligibility requirements that you must meet in order to qualify for assistance. Once approved for assistance, you will need to select a supplier that participates in the program. Shipley is an authorized supplier for LIHEAP deliveries.

Since electricity and natural gas are traded every day in competitive price markets, the price of energy is always changing. Utility companies typically set their energy supply price to compare (PTC) rate quarterly or twice per year. At Shipley Energy, we update our natural gas and power price offers every month, which gives us the flexibility to take advantage of favorable price conditions in the market. Our team of energy experts seeks to obtain the most competitive energy pricing available so we can pass the benefits on to you.

No. Your natural gas or electricity will continue to come to your home just like it did before. In fact, it’s the same natural gas and electricity, just at a great low rate.

No. In energy de-regulated states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland, utility companies and suppliers work together to serve natural gas and electricity customers. The utility will continue to maintain the distribution and transportation of the gas/power to your home while suppliers like Shipley Energy purchase the gas and electricity that you need to heat and power your home.

No, once you sign up with Shipley Energy we will contact your utility and notify them of your switch.

No, as a supplier of natural gas and electricity Shipley Energy purchases the gas and power that you use in your home and works with utility companies like UGI and Met-Ed which transport and distribute the energy to your home. Once you become a customer of Shipley Energy, your local utility company will still distribute the energy to your home, handle outages/maintenance and maintain power lines/gas pipes.

As a residential or small commercial customer, you will continue to receive a single bill from your utility that will include supply charges from Shipley Energy and charges from the utility.

When you sign up with Shipley for natural gas or electricity, you will receive a welcome letter. This welcome letter informs you which rate you signed up for and the length of your contract. Towards the end of that contract, you will receive a notice 60-days and 30-days before the end of your contract. While the 60-day notice is generic and non-specific, the 30-day renewal notice will specify when your rate expires. You can always reference your most recent renewal notice to see when your current rate expires.

Prior to your existing fixed rate contract coming to an end, we will send you renewal notifications in the mail letting you know that your existing contract is getting ready to expire and outlining your options moving forward. Please keep an eye out for these renewal notifications and feel free to call our dedicated customer care team at (855) 564-3050 with any questions.

Natural gas is naturally odorless and colorless. To make natural gas detectable, a chemical known as Mercaptan is added. Mercaptan has a smell similar to rotten eggs. If your nose detects this unique odor, leave the building immediately. Take everyone with you (including pets) and leave the exit door open if possible. Contact your utility company immediately.

Nope! When you choose to receive your natural gas or electricity supply for suppliers like Shipley Energy, your service will continue without interruption.

Your local utility company will continue to be the contact to handle emergencies, outages and maintenance issues.

During regular business hours, the cost for a technician to come to your home and diagnose the issue at hand is $109.95. After 3pm and on holidays, that cost is $169.95. A shop & environmental fee of $8.99 also applies to every service call. The technician will go over the cost of repair with you and have you sign off on the repair before the repair is completed.

The diagnostic fee is not applied to the cost of repairs; it covers only the expense of our technician coming out to diagnose the issue.

The reset button on your furnace will restart the burner should a problem cause the system to shut down, for instance, in case of a power outage. By pushing the reset button, the system will restart itself. However, if the system shuts down again you should contact Shipley and request service from one of our trained service technicians.

Warning: Pressing the button more than once could cause excess product to collect in the combustion chamber of the unit.

The Shipley Energy Rewards program is our way to show our appreciation for allowing us to serve as your energy and home services provider. It lets you earn points for each purchase, and redeem your points for great rewards!

Definitely! All qualifying Shipley Energy purchases receive points. You can get points for electricity, natural gas. heating oil, propane, HVAC, and other residential products and services. There may also be chances to get extra points for using more than one Shipley Energy service, and special promotional points offers from time to time.

You can use your points towards Shipley Energy products and services. Also, you can use them for any merchant listed on the site. There are over 100 different places to choose from, and more are added all the time.

Points expire 12 months after issued if they are not used. When you use your points to get a reward, there are a few validation steps to claim your reward. You have 90 days to fully claim your reward. Once your reward is claimed, each merchant has their own policies that dictate whether and when they expire.

You can verify your purchases on the My Point History page. Points post to your account within approximately 14 days after your service is purchased. Still don’t see your points? Call customer service at (855) 564-3050.

Points are based on the dollar amount you spend. Some services may have a different amount of points per dollar spent. In the My Points History page, you can see your history and the points you received.

If you are issued a refund, return, or cancellation, the points from that purchase will be deducted. When you use a service contract to cover parts, service, or repairs, you may see points awarded and then removed for those transactions if you were not charged for them.

If you make a return or are issued a refund, credit, or cancellation, the points you received for that purchase may be deducted from your points balance.

After you use your points to redeem a reward and claim that reward, we cannot replace lost codes that were issued by third party merchants.

To find out more about the Privacy Policy, visit our Privacy Policy page.

If you forget your log-in information, go back to the log in screen and click on the ‘Forgot Password?’ link. If you still can’t access the program, call Shipley Energy customer service at (855) 564-3050.