How Does Automatic Fuel Delivery Work, and Is It Worth It?

August 14, 2025 · 3 min read

Harrisburg Oil & Propane Delivery by Eshnaurs.

Imagine never having to check your fuel tank gauge or scramble to schedule a delivery during a brutal winter storm: with automatic fuel delivery in Harrisburg, PA, that's what you get! At Eshenaurs, we've been delivering reliable heating oil and propane for over 90 years, and our automatic delivery option is designed to make your life easier.

How Does Automatic Fuel Delivery Work, and Is It Worth It?

What Is Automatic Fuel Delivery?

Instead of monitoring your tank yourself and calling for refills when you need it, we can use data and technology to predict when your tank needs topping up and schedule deliveries, so you never have to think about it again. This service is particularly popular for heating oil and propane. For context, automatic delivery isn't a new fad. It's just the next evolution in scheduling using smart, predictive systems.

How It Works

The Setup

When you sign up for automatic delivery, we get baseline information about your home, like tank size, number of people in the home, and your historical usage data. Then, we create a delivery schedule based on our decades of experience serving Central PA communities like Harrisburg.

Monitoring and Prediction

For every degree below a base temperature, your system works harder and consumes more fuel. Combined with your usage history, this helps forecast when your tank will hit a low threshold. At Eshenaurs, we offer Otodata tank monitors if you prefer, which allows you to know exactly what your levels are on your smartphone app.

Delivery and Billing

When the system predicts your tank is low, a delivery is automatically lined up. And when we can dispatch our trucks efficiently, bundling routes according to predictable need, we can minimize costs for all our customers. You're simply charged based on the amount delivered; unless you're part of our budgeting plans. These great plans let you spread out fuel payments throughout the year, so you have a consistent monthly payment instead of a big charge every time the tank needs to be filled. You can also choose our pre-buy option, so you're never taking a gamble on fuel prices going up.

Benefits

Switching to automatic delivery offers more than just convenience! Obviously, the biggest perk is eliminating the dread of an empty tank. But you can also forget about gauging your tank in freezing weather or remembering to call. We handle it all. While it's still a good idea to call us if there's a big change to your home (such as if you're going to be gone a while with the heat turned down or are adding people to the home for a significant amount of time), for the most part, it's "set-it-and-forget-it."

Deliveries are also timed for optimal fill-ups, and that means you eliminate the need to pay any emergency fees. In peak seasons, our automatic customers also get first dibs on deliveries. If there's a supply crunch, you're covered. Beyond that, efficient deliveries mean fewer truck trips, and that means fewer emissions.

If you're ready to take the hassle out of fuel delivery, reach out to us today at W.C. Eshenaur & Son, Inc. in Harrisburg, PA. We proudly serve nearly all towns and cities in the central PA area.

Oct 22, 2026

A Holiday Letter From The Eshenaur Family

A Letter From The Eshenaur Family Dear Valued Customer, Fall is in full swing, meaning the holidays are on the way. Now is the perfect time to prepare your home and garden for the cold winter weather. Servicing your heating system and water heater now will give you the peace of mind that your home will remain warm and cozy all winter long. You can schedule a tune up service with us by calling (717) 236-5031. With the holidays fast approaching, everyone is looking to save some extra money. Inside this newsletter we have included tips on ways to save on your energy bill this winter. We can also help you balance your expenses with a fuel budget plan. You can find details in this newsletter and on our website at www.eshenaurs.com. As always, we would like to give our loyal customers a big thank you for choosing our team here at W. C. Eshenaur & Son to provide you with the reliable, friendly service you deserve. Thank you for your continued trust and patronage this year and the years to come. Have a wonderful fall and a happy holidays. Warm Regards, Craig & Wally Eshenaur Spread out your fuel payments evenly throughout the year with a budget plan from W.C. Eshenaur & Son, Inc.. Winter in Pennsylvania is some of the harshest in the country which brings correspondingly harsh winter energy bills. Instead of paying for most of your winter heating in two or three months, choose to evenly distribute payment throughout the year. For your new oil to gas conversion whole house heating system and installation purchased between 10/1/26 – 11/30/26. We are your one stop shop for propane and equipment. We handle everything from ordering the tank set and installing equipment to delivering propane. How It Works: We estimate the amount of fuel that your home will use throughout the year based on previous years’ usage, predicted weather, and home preferences. We take the total amount of fuel, divide it by 11 months, and this new number is your monthly fuel payment for the year. To make this plan even better for you, we let you choose if you’d rather be a will-call or automatic delivery customer. You choose the method of delivery that suits your family best, so you are ensured optimum comfort and stress-free care. Five Tips to Cut Energy Costs This Winter  Weatherstrip your doors and windows: Your doors and windows can leak out more heat than you might imagine  Give your heating system a yearly checkup: air‑flow problems such as dirty blower components can cut HVAC efficiency by up to 15 %  Adjust your water heater’s temperature: For most people, keeping the temperature set at 120 degrees provides plenty of hot water. B undle up and get cozy: If you feel chilly, wear a sweater instead of cranking up the heat.  Use LED light bulbs instead of CFL or incandescent: Residential LEDs—especially ENERGY STAR bulbs—use at least 75 % less energy and last up to 25 × longer than incandescents  Repair Leaks and Drains If your drains are slow or you have leaks, get them repaired now before you have an emergency on a holiday.  Locate Your Main Water Shut Off Valve Everyone in your household should know the location of the main shut-off valve. In case of an emergency, you may need to quickly know where the valve is and how to correctly shut it off.  Store Outdoor Hoses Before the first frost, disconnect hoses, drain them, and store them in a dry place. This will not only help prevent pipe damage but extend the life of your hoses for the next season.  Service Your Water Heater Flush the tank to remove sediment and check for leaks or signs of wear. Flushing the tank is an occasional part of maintenance. Checking for damage, rust, or leaks around your water heater is also very important at this time of year. Can You Answer These Brain Teasers? 1. What is full of holes but still holds water? 2. I’m not a blanket, yet I cover the ground; a crystal from heaven that doesn’t make a sound. What am I? 3. What do the letter “t” and an island have in common? 4. I sometimes run, but I can’t walk. What am I? 5. What thrives when you feed it but dies when you water it? Answers: 1. a sponge, 2. a snowflake, 3.they’re both in the middle of water. 4. a nose, 5. a fire.

Oct 08, 2026

Winter Plumbing Tips and Tricks for Harrisburg, PA, Homeowners

A Pennsylvania cold snap can leave you with frozen pipes, cracked outdoor faucets, or water damage when a pipe bursts. A few simple steps before freezing weather can help protect your home. Disconnect Hoses and Protect Hose Bibs Hose bibs are the outdoor faucets attached to your house. Remove garden hoses before freezing temperatures arrive so trapped water can drain. If your outdoor faucet has an indoor shutoff valve, close it and drain the outdoor line. Disconnect hoses from frost-free faucets, too. An insulated faucet cover adds protection, but it cannot replace proper draining. Insulate Pipes in Cold Areas Check water pipes in unheated basements, crawl spaces, and garages. Pipes near exterior walls are also vulnerable to freezing. Fit exposed pipes with pipe insulation and seal drafts near them. Insulation slows heat loss; it does not make pipes freeze-proof. Keep Warm Air Around Your Plumbing Keep your thermostat consistent during cold weather. If you leave town, keep the heat on and set it no lower than 55°F. During severe cold, open cabinet doors beneath sinks along exterior walls. Move cleaning products out of children’s reach. For exposed pipes at risk of freezing, letting the faucet run at a small trickle can help. Watch for Signs of Frozen Pipes Little or no water from a faucet during a cold snap may mean a frozen pipe. Call a plumber if you cannot locate or safely reach the frozen section. Never use a torch or open flame to thaw plumbing. Know where your main water shutoff valve is. If a pipe bursts, shut off the water immediately and arrange repairs. Address Plumbing Problems Before Winter A dripping hose bib or an unprotected pipe is easier to address before temperatures drop. Check these areas early rather than waiting for the first hard freeze. For plumbing repair and installation in Harrisburg, PA, contact W.C. Eshenaur and Son. Get help with existing problems and prepare vulnerable plumbing for winter.

We troubleshoot and fix HVAC problems in Central Pennsylvania.

Sep 03, 2026

Troubleshooting Your HVAC System

When your air conditioning or heating system begins to struggle in Harrisburg, PA, there's a few checks to go through that may be able to restore comfort before you need to worry about scheduling professional service for your HVAC. Basic Checks for Your HVAC in Harrisburg, PA Check the Thermostat Make sure your thermostat display isn't blank or dim; if it is, try just installing new batteries. Then, confirm that the mode is set to heat or cool according to the season. Once that's done, adjust the temperature at least three degrees beyond the current room reading and change the fan setting from continuous on to auto. After you make these adjustments, give the equipment five minutes to respond and listen for the blower or outdoor unit to start. Is It Plugged In? This question's not just for computers! Open the main breaker panel in your house and find the switches marked for the furnace, air handler, or outdoor condenser. If any lever is in the middle or off position, push it fully to the off side and then back to on. Also locate the dedicated disconnect switch, which is often mounted on or near the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. These switches can get bumped during cleaning or yard work. Once power is restored, return to the thermostat and try the system again. A tripped breaker is actually one of the most common reasons a unit refuses to start, and resetting it takes only a moment. Look at the Air Filter Find the return air grille in a hallway or ceiling, or open the access door on the side of the furnace or air handler. Slide the existing filter out and hold it up to a bright light. If you can't see any light passing through the media, or if the surface looks really gray, dusty, and packed, replace it with a new filter. A clogged filter restricts the volume of air the system can move, which causes the blower to work harder, which raises energy use, and finally often triggers safety switches that shut the equipment down. Check the Condenser Unit This is the part of the system that sits outside, and sometimes yard work and weather can cause issues. Remove any leaves, grass clippings, or twigs that have collected around the base and sides and make sure there's at least two feet of clear space on all sides so outdoor air can move freely across the coil. If the fins look dusty, rinse them gently with a garden hose on a low setting; never use a pressure washer. Is There Any Ice? Look for ice forming on the indoor coil or along the refrigerant lines. If you see some, switch the equipment off at the thermostat and allow any ice to melt completely before restarting it. Restricted airflow from a dirty filter is the most frequent cause of freezing, so the filter change you already performed will likely stop that from happening again. If it doesn't, or the filter was clean, call for help as there's a more serious issue that needs attention. If these steps don't fix things, call W.C. Eshenaur & Son, Inc. right now at 717-236-5031 to request service. We proudly serve all the towns of Central PA.