Home heating oil prices are climbing again just as colder weather approaches, and one longtime Boston-area company is warning customers that the cost of filling a tank could be painful this winter.
CBS Boston reporter Mike Sullivan spent time with Metro Energy in South Boston, where staff said customers are already calling weeks earlier than usual because they are worried about rising prices.
On Sept. 9, home heating oil was selling for $5.89 a gallon through the company, while oil prices more broadly had moved back above $100 a barrel.
For households that rely on heating oil, that is the kind of number that can quickly turn an ordinary winter expense into a major budget problem.
Customers Are Calling Earlier Than Usual
Metro Energy has been in business for about 100 years, Sullivan reported, but co-owner Debbie Markarian said prices have rarely reached this level during her time with the company.
“In my lifetime of working here, this is maybe the third time it’s hit to this high point,” Markarian told WBZ-TV.
She said the company is already receiving a flood of calls from nervous customers looking to order oil before the weather turns colder.
Usually, that rush comes closer to the end of September. This year, it has started much earlier.
Metro Energy has also been making advance calls to customers rather than waiting for them to reach out first.
“We don’t want to sticker shock them,” Markarian said.
That is a practical concern because even customers who know energy prices have gone up may not be prepared for what a full tank could cost at current rates. A sudden bill based on nearly $6-per-gallon oil can be difficult to absorb, particularly after several years of broader increases in household costs.
Company Suggests Ordering Less Oil at Once
One of Metro Energy’s main suggestions is surprisingly simple: do not necessarily fill the entire tank.
Instead, Markarian said some customers may want to order a smaller amount, such as 100 gallons, and wait to see whether prices move lower before buying more.
“Maybe you should just do 100 gallons, and then let’s see what happens, because that 100 gallons could probably sustain you maybe three to four weeks,” she said.
The idea is not that prices are guaranteed to fall. In fact, Markarian emphasized that the market has been highly unpredictable.
“You never know,” she said. “Sometimes it will just drop and then it will go back up the next day.”
That advice comes with some risk, because a customer who buys less now could end up paying even more later if the market keeps rising. Still, for people who cannot comfortably afford a full delivery at current prices, spreading purchases out may be one way to avoid taking the entire hit at once.
It is an interesting example of how energy volatility changes normal household behavior. Instead of simply filling a tank when needed, some families are now effectively trying to time the market.
A 20-Cent Market Spike in One Day
Sullivan reported that Metro Energy saw a 20-cent increase in the market in a single day, but the company chose not to immediately pass that increase along to customers.
Markarian said they were hoping prices would fall again before the end of the day.
“We felt terrible,” she said. “We were hoping our customers would be getting a little bit of a break.”
That kind of day-to-day movement is part of what makes planning difficult for both suppliers and customers.
The company has been dealing with an unusually volatile market for about three years, according to Markarian. She said prices would traditionally ease during the spring and summer, but instead the company saw increases during warmer months as well.
For customers, that removes one of the usual strategies of buying heating oil when demand is lower.
Winter Could Put More Pressure on Household Budgets
Heating oil is not the only energy expense moving higher.
Markarian told Sullivan that electricity and natural gas prices have also increased significantly, which means some households may have fewer alternatives for escaping high heating costs.
That matters particularly in New England, where residents are coming off a harsh winter and now face the possibility of another expensive cold season.
If temperatures stay low for long stretches, customers may need deliveries more frequently, making even small price increases add up quickly.
Markarian joked that another difficult winter might be enough to drive her south.
“I don’t know if I can do another one of those winters,” she said. “I’m going to move to Florida. I’m just going to shut down.”
Behind the joke is a serious concern.
“We cannot sustain these high prices, especially for the whole season,” she said.
That may be the most important point in Sullivan’s report. The problem is not simply whether oil is expensive on one particular day, but whether those prices stay elevated for months while customers repeatedly need fuel.
A Longtime Company Watching an Unusual Market
Metro Energy’s history gives the current situation some perspective.
Sullivan noted that the South Boston company has operated for a century, with old photographs showing employees delivering oil generations ago and company owners meeting former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.
Yet despite that long history, Markarian said only a handful of periods have produced prices this high.
That gives the current spike more weight. Energy prices always rise and fall, but when a century-old local company says the present market stands out, customers are likely to pay attention.
The company is now balancing two difficult realities: the cost it pays for oil is climbing, but passing every increase directly to customers can create serious financial strain.
What Customers Can Do Now
For now, Metro Energy’s main message is not to panic, but to think carefully about how much oil to order.
Customers who normally fill their tanks may want to consider a partial delivery if they believe they can safely stretch that supply for several weeks.
Markarian suggested that 100 gallons could last some customers three to four weeks, depending on usage.
The hope is that prices could fall before the next delivery is needed.
There is no guarantee that will happen, and that uncertainty is exactly what makes the situation difficult.
Sullivan’s report shows that customers are already adjusting their behavior before winter fully arrives, while heating companies are trying to soften the financial blow where they can.
For now, the advice from Metro Energy is less about finding a perfect deal and more about staying flexible. With oil prices moving quickly, buying only what is needed in the short term may give some households a better chance of avoiding the worst possible price.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.
