Dear Friends,
We’re sure all of you followed the debacle of power outages in Texas and elsewhere in the wake of the deep freeze that hit in February. No one has to explain that to people in our area. It seems as if three or four times per year, a storm knocks out our power, leaving tens of thousands of families without energy for days — or even weeks.
More than anything, this has exposed the fragility of the nation’s electric grid. That’s why it’s troubling that many state governments are rushing ahead on an “electrify everything” path to reduce carbon emissions. We believe that we must take aggressive steps to address climate change — and we’re doing that. Our company has invested in significant infrastructure to support propane, a very clean-burning and environmentally friendly fuel source.
The problem is that however well-intended the “all electric” movement is, it is relying on breakthroughs that do not yet exist, to an electric grid that is already unreliable. Consider what will happen when the electric grid is taxed by huge new demand — caused by conversions of cars, buildings, homes and more.
Alternatively, we, and others in the liquid fuels industry, continue to offer a solution that immediately reduces every customer’s carbon footprint dramatically without regressive taxes, additional equipment cost to consumers or overloading the electric grid. We need thoughtful policy that balances the need to address our climate without putting all our eggs into one fragile energy basket.
And as always, please let us know what we can do to help you, because with Pioneer, you always get Service, Quality and Value — Guaranteed.
Warmly,
Joey Grigarauskas
General Manager
Q: I’m considering a tankless water heater. What should I keep in mind?
A: With a tankless water heater, water is instantly heated, meaning it doesn’t sit in a storage tank losing heat while it waits to be used. The heating element will continue to warm the water until you close the hot water faucet, which also shuts the gas burner. The bottom line is this smart option provides a virtually endless supply of hot water. Plus, it takes up less space.
Q: Are there ways to save I should know about?
A: Yes! Current tankless water heater rebates include $300 from PGANE and a $100 discount from Lochinvar. Additionally, you can get up to $300 in tax credits on eligible Energy Star equipment, through December 31, 2021. Contact us for details.
Cade Clark
Operations Manager
Enjoy cycling workouts in the comfort of your home with this NordicTrack Commercial S15i Studio Cycle. To enter, read this newsletter and answer the questions at PioneerOilandPropane.com/contest. All entries received by 6/29/21 with the correct answers will be entered into a drawing.
Stream live workouts hosted by iFit trainers — on local trails or across the globe — on your 14‑inch HD Smart Touchscreen.
Value: $1,599!
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not increase chance of winning. See contest page for details.
Warm weather brings us rewards — and challenges. If you’re having difficulty keeping your home healthy and comfortable, call us. We can help!
You can greatly improve your home’s indoor air quality by making some simple lifestyle choices and a couple of smart investments.
You may sometimes forget to change the air filter on your furnace or air conditioning system and that can negatively impact your indoor air quality. Check your HVAC filter about once a month and change or clean it as needed. This is especially important if someone in your home has a respiratory condition, or if you have pets. In these situations, you may need to change or clean the filter more frequently.
Professional maintenance for your heating or cooling system will keep your equipment working well, your air circulating properly and humidity levels under control. If you haven’t scheduled your annual HVAC maintenance service yet this year, contact us today to make an appointment.
Consider installing indoor air quality (IAQ) equipment such as an air purification system. This IAQ solution safely removes the risks of many airborne and surface bacteria, mold spores and viruses. It also eliminates cooking odors. A whole house humidification system is also recommended.
Many cleaning and personal care products use scent as a way to make them more attractive. But the scents added to products like air fresheners, soaps, detergents, all-purpose cleaners and other products can result in hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being released into your home.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs can create health problems ranging from throat, eye and nose irritation to dizziness to even liver or kidney damage. Make an effort to use unscented products. You can still add a pleasant smell to your home with essential oils and a diffuser.
TIP: The EPA offers a Safer Choice guide for finding better cleaning options that won’t harm your indoor air quality — or you. To learn more, visit EPA.gov/saferchoice.
Humidity can create all sorts of problems. If the air is too humid during the summer, it can encourage the growth and spread of mold. Research has shown that molds can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and even lung infections in people with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems.
Houseplants are nature’s air filter. Studies have shown that plants can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and other toxins from the air and replace them with oxygen. Some good choices for clearing the air include bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, ficus, gerbera, Golden Pothos, peace lily, philodendron, pot mum, and spider plants.
Planning a home improvement project? Use products that are low-VOC and mold resistant, such as fiberglass-covered drywall or gypsum board and low-VOC paint.
We all love our hobbies, but some of them use some pretty toxic materials. If you plan to strip paint, use adhesives or do any other activities that expose you to harmful vapors, be sure to do it in a well-vented room — or better yet, work outside whenever possible.
Our IAQ experts will be glad to help improve the air quality in your home. Contact us today to learn more.
As the days of uncertainty linger on, there’s still one thing we know for sure. It’s going to get hot sometime this summer.
So the last thing you want is for your cooling system to shut down on a hot, steamy day.
If you’ve had your system checked out this spring already and your service technician gave it a thumbs-up, then you should be all set to beat the heat.
But if you’re relying on an old system that uses outdated R22 refrigerant, you risk a summer breakdown, not to mention high repair costs. An older system will also drain more electricity, making your cooling costs higher than they should be.
A new high-efficiency system could cut your cooling costs in half — and eliminate the expense and annoyance of breakdowns — while keeping your home more comfortable, no matter how high the mercury soars.
Our cooling experts can evaluate your needs and help you choose a cooling system that’s the right size for your home.
To protect your investment in a new system, we recommend that you enroll in our cooling service plan. This ensures that you will get the maintenance that’s required to keep your equipment warranty intact.
Electricity is often touted as a “clean” energy source, but that assertion becomes less convincing when you take a closer look. Here’s a look at a few comparisons.
If you are pleased with our services, we would truly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to post a review online — on Google, our Facebook page or through our website.
Your feedback means the world to us, just as this recent online customer review does:
“We were Marr Oil customers until they were bought by Pioneer Oil. Was not sure what to expect since we didn’t ‘choose’ them. So happy they chose us! Pioneer is great! From the office staff to the delivery guys and service guys. Very professional, congenial and always available. Never thought I’d write a review for an oil company, but they deserve it. Keep it up!”
— James H., Holden, MA (5-star Google review)
Spring has sprung and rebates, incentives and special deals are all in full bloom too. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your old heating system or installing a new storage tank, we’ll show you how we can help save you quite a bit of money on your purchase. Conditions apply.
You can now download our app (available for IOS and Android) to have 24-hour access to your account, so you can pay bills, look up information and schedule service when it’s convenient for you. Just search for Pioneer Oil and Propane in the App store or Google Play Store to get started.