At Hart Home Comfort, we like to say "we love to keep you warm and green." We do it through our outstanding service, and in so many other ways.

Of course, what sets us apart from other home comfort companies is that we were the first on Long Island to deliver Bioheat® fuel in the form of clean, green EcoBlend™ heating oil to our customers. And we do it at no extra charge. We are also the only home comfort company on Long Island with storage facilities dedicated to EcoBlend, and with access to a railway supply system to deliver the renewable, earth-friendly biodiesel that makes up our alternative Bioheat fuel, EcoBlend. What exactly is EcoBlend?

EcoBlend heating oil is the name of our clean burning alternative Bioheat fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources that are abundant and available in the U.S. EcoBlend is biodegradable, nontoxic, and virtually free of sulfur and other impurities. To further ensure a quality product, we use sophisticated blending technology at our on-site New Hyde Park terminal, to produce high-quality B20 EcoBlend heating oil. It is a mix of 20% pure Biofuel (no petroleum) and 80% conventional heating oil.

We do not charge you more for our EcoBlend heating oil! It's priced the same as regular heating oil. AND by using EcoBlend, you'll get up to a 20-cents per gallon in New York State tax credit.

Why Biofuel is here to stay...

According to BP’s Energy Outlook (https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/energy-outlook.html) global energy consumption is expected to rise by 41% from 2012 to 2035. It's clear that Biofuel is not only here to stay, but that it will soon become the preferred fuel for heating oil consumers. A number of states, as well as New York City, have already approved mandates for the use of Biofuels, and Hart Home Comfort is the exclusive supplier at our New Hyde Park Oil Terminal.

Widespread use of Bioheat® fuel could replace millions of gallons of petroleum-based heating oil a year. This can reduce U.S. reliance on imported oil, making us less vulnerable to supply disruptions overseas.

Our EcoBlend heating oil is compatible with any heating system that uses regular fuel oil; no new equipment required!

Our EcoBlend heating oil burns cleaner than standard No.2 heating oil because it has much lower sulfur content. This reduces wear and tear on your system. The result: fewer breakdowns, longer equipment life and better fuel efficiency.

EcoBlend Heating Oil Customers Get a Tax Break

New York State is offering relief for consumers struggling with high heating oil prices - a maximum 20-cent-per-gallon tax credit for customers who use Bioheat® fuel, a clean-burning "green" fuel that is a blend of high-grade heating oil and renewable resources. Thanks to this credit, our customers can save $200 for every 1,000 gallons of EcoBlend fuel consumed!

Filing for your tax credit

To properly compute the amount of credit allowed, the taxpayer should have an invoice or bill that includes the following information: date of purchase, number of gallons of the Bioheat® fuel, EcoBlend heating oil, purchased and the percentage of biodiesel included in the EcoBlend. (A B20 blend contains 20% biodiesel.) The new tax credit remains in effect through 2020. To receive a tax credit, you should file a claim for Clean Heating Fuel Credit along with your tax return. Residential taxpayers should file Form IT-241, and corporate taxpayers should file Form CT-241. Please consult with your accountant or tax professional for details specific to your situation.

If you’ve looked at any mail from us lately, you might’ve realized that something’s just a little different … our name!

“Why the change from Hart Petroleum to Hart Home Comfort?” you ask.

Simple. We deliver so much more than petroleum-based heating oil - so our old name was holding us back! From our environmentally friendly B20 EcoBlend™ Bioheat, to our ultra-high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, to natural gas service and service plans, we offer a wide range of state-of-the-art home comfort solutions.

Our name isn’t all that has changed around here lately. We’ve also got new service plans, a new website, and even a new location. In the spring, we officially moved our headquarters to 30 Montauk Boulevard in Oakdale. Our service area hasn’t changed, though. In fact, we’ve expanded our coverage map with the acquisition of Laco Home Heating.

Side note: We’d like to take this opportunity to once again welcome the Laco employees and customers to the Hart Home Comfort family. (Read more about this in “East Meets West For Some Summertime Fun” at www.harthomecomfort.com/blog.)

In this issue of Hart Beats, we’ll tell you more about our new service plans and our new website. And please keep in mind that despite all these new changes, Hart Home Comfort is still the same great company you know and trust. Our commitment to your complete comfort and satisfaction will never change. And no matter how low temperatures go this winter, we’ll be there for you … in a Hart beat.

Thanks again for your business.

Sincerely,

Ray Hart

President

Typically speaking, heating oil tanks are sturdy, dependable and can last for decades without causing any trouble. But they’re not indestructible. How can you tell if it’s time to replace your oil tank? The best strategy is to call the experts at Hart Home Comfort. We offer free tank evaluations and will be happy to answer all of your questions.

In the meantime, you may want to consider these questions:

• Is your home more than 25 years old and still using its original tank?
• Is there excessive vegetation building up around your tank?
• Are the tank’s legs unstable or standing on a precarious foundation?
• Does your tank show signs of rust, wet spots or excessive dents along its surface?
• Is there a risk of snow or ice falling or piling up on your tank?
• Are there signs of spills around the fill or vent pipe?
• Are you using more oil than usual?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to have your tank inspected. Call Hart Home Comfort at 631-667-3200 for an immediate inspection and we’ll let you know if there’s any problem now and how to avoid problems in the future . This is just one of the ways that Hart Home Comfort protects homeowners against tank leaks, and how we make replacing your old tank affordable with 12-month interest-free financing.

Hart Home Comfort isn’t just your heating and cooling company; we’re your neighbors.

Many of us grew up on Long Island and have lived here our whole lives. We raise families here, just like you do. We go to the same parks and beaches as you, shop at the same stores, and eat at the same restaurants. We know that there are many people here on Long Island who aren’t as fortunate as we are. That’s why we do our part to be good neighbors and give back to our communities whenever and however we can.

One way we do so is through our partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk, an independently operated affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International that builds and renovates homes for low-income families throughout Suffolk County. According to the organization’s website, “For 25 years, Habitat Suffolk has empowered over 165 families to achieve their dreams of homeownership through our affordable housing program.” This year, Hart Home Comfort is doing our part to help another family achieve that dream.

“What is our part?” you ask. Home heating, of course!

Hart Home Comfort is proud to give a family in Central Islip a year’s worth of heating oil deliveries - free. The family just moved into their newly built Habitat for Humanity home, and Hart Home Comfort representatives were on hand for the dedication ceremony. It was a truly inspiring event, not just for the new homeowners, but for us as well. There’s nothing like the feeling of giving back to your community, and we encourage all Hart Home Comfort customers who can contribute to do so as well.

To volunteer for or donate to Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk, visit habitatsuffolk.org. To contribute to Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, go to hfhnc.org.

Your home is one the largest investments you’ll make in your lifetime. It makes perfect sense to do everything you can to protect that investment. Maybe that’s why you use our B20 EcoBlend Bioheat. It’s a safe and clean choice for home heating. There’s another way you can protect your investment.

Even though oil tank leaks are very unusual, they do occur in older steel models, and if they do, the cleanup costs can put a dent in your nest egg, for sure.

To help safeguard your home … and your wallet … Hart Home Comfort offers all of our heating oil customers the option to enroll in the The TankSure™ Program. We feel so strong about it that we even include it as a standard component of our Total Comfort Plan. When you get The TankSure Program, you get to enjoy the benefits of the TankSure promise:

• Potential discounts toward your homeowner’s insurance
• $1,000 tank replacement payment if and when your tank needs to be replaced
• EPA-approved tank wall thickness testing, using ultrasonic technology to detect and measure interior corrosion levels
• Inspection of common tank components such as the legs, seams, fill and vent pipes, fuel oil lines and vent whistle
• $200 credit for disqualifying tanks toward proactive replacement

To sign up for The TankSure Program, please log into your “My Hart” Account. If you do not have an account, you can create one by clicking the link under “New User Registration.” You can also get TankSure by signing up for our Total Comfort Plan. Call us today to learn more!

We understand that times are tough, and many are struggling to pay their heating bills. That’s why we wanted to remind everyone that heating assistance is available through LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps eligible households meet their home energy needs. LIHEAP also offers an emergency benefit for households in a heat or heat-related energy emergency.

LIHEAP also offers a furnace repair and/or replacement benefit for households with inoperable heating equipment.

For further information and 2014-2015 income guidelines, please contact the appropriate county agency:

In Nassau:

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP):

516-565-4327 or 516-227-7386

In Suffolk:

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): 631-853-8825, 631-853-8326 Emergency: 631-854-9100

More information can be found at New York State’s LIHEAP website, otda.ny.gov/programs/heap.

Please visit our website, harthomecomfort.com, and click on “Special Offers” for other local fuel assistance programs.

Talk to Us! We’re Here for You!

In addition to contacting LIHEAP and the other heating assistance programs on our website, we urge you to please call our office if you are unable to pay your bill. There is a good chance that we can find a way to help you. All your personal information will be kept strictly confidential. We want to make sure that every one of our customers is able to enjoy a warm and cozy winter.