As another heat wave descends on Pennsylvania, leaving a sweaty mess in its wake, you’re probably not thinking a whole lot about buying propane gas.
But maybe you should be.
In summer, demand for propane is lower than it is in heating season – but once the first cool nights start to arrive here in PA, you’ll be joining the thousands of Pennsylvania homeowners who will all need propane at the same time. That demand could (and usually does) cause propane prices to spike – which can make buying propane in the summer a good investment.

More ways to save on propane

Of course when it comes to propane prices, nothing is certain, since so many unpredictable factors influence the price of propane gas (the weather and the global economy, to name two).

If saving money is the name of the game for you (as it is for most smart people), there are many ways to do it when it comes to heating your home – by making your building more energy efficient, for example (we’ll talk about ideas for that in future blogs).

Other ideas for propane savings include:

• Staying organized. Avoid purchasing your propane at the last minute, in case we can’t get to you immediately. With Automatic Propane Delivery from Ace-Robbins, you’ll avoid this problem altogether.
• Maintain your heating equipment. Professionally maintained heating equipment uses less propane while providing more comfort and better performance. Keeping up with annual tune-ups also means your heating equipment will run more reliably through the long Pennsylvania winter.
• Upgrade old heating equipment before heating season starts. The efficiency of a propane furnace or boiler drops considerably over the course of its lifetime; in fact, a 12- to 15-year-old oil fired system could be running at less than two-thirds the efficiency of a new system. If your heating system is well into its second decade, it pays to upgrade to a high efficiency heating system.

Need propane for your Tunkhannock-area home? Contact us today to become an Ace-Robbins propane customer. You’ll get the most safe, reliable, and affordable propane delivery service in Wyoming County, plus expert service for your propane-fired heating equipment.

You may not know it by looking at the thermometer, but we’re past the halfway point of Summer 2019 here in Pennsylvania, and Labor Day is less than a month away.
As summer days tick away, the window on getting a head start on heating season tasks is quickly closing, and with it goes an opportunity to avoid some major hassles battling the same crowds that are currently tanning away at a local lake.
Before those folks get back, try taking care of these five things to prep for heating season 2019-20.

5 Cold Weather Preparation Tips

1. Test your thermostat. Summer is a great time test your thermostat – and to learn how to program your thermostat if you don’t know how (it will be time well spent, considering that proper use of a thermostat can save 10 percent or more on your heating bill). If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, install one now – it will pay for itself in the first year of use.
2. Add Insulation. Most homes are under-insulated, which is a shame considering insulation is one of the best bang-for-the-buck ways to lower your heating (and cooling) bills. Install additional insulation in areas notorious for having inadequate insulation such as the attic and crawl space; for further tips on where and how much to insulate, check out this energy.gov post.
3. Repair air leaks. Air leaks are the enemy of efficiency; in winter, they let the cold air in and release your paid-for warm air to the neighborhood. Summer is a great time to check the edges and bottom of your doors and windows to make sure they’re draft-free. Install caulk or weatherstripping around the areas where you can feel drafts, along with door sweeps at the base of drafty doors. For more tips on air sealing, check out this post.
4. Repair problem roof areas. Taking care of roof repairs in the summer may be hard work, but it’s worth it. Tackling roof maintenance at this time of year helps minimize the stress and hassles that come with the peak season, and since fewer people invest in roofing projects during this season, you’re more likely to find a qualified roof expert to do the job. Skip those roof repairs and you could end up with drafts, or even a mold problem….something you definitely want to avoid.
5. Schedule a heating tune-up. Heating maintenance is a must for your furnace, boiler and burner – and summer is the perfect time to schedule it. Put off routine heating maintenance just a few more weeks and you could be waiting a month or more for a qualified heating expert in PA, since the best technicians get get extremely busy once Labor Day passes. Stay ahead of the crowd so your heating system will be ready to go on day 1 of heating season 2019-20!
6. If you’re planning to replace your heating system, do it now. Remember those busy heating experts who won’t have time to maintain your equipment after Labor Day? They won’t have time to install your new furnace or boiler, either. If you’re planning a heating system upgrade, get a FREE, no obligation estimate now so you’ll have some wiggle room to schedule a heating system installation before busy season starts in earnest.

For expert, affordable preventive heating Service Plans for your propane or heating oil-fired equipment – plus quality propane and heating oil system installations and the most reliable fuel deliveries in and around Tunkhannock, PA – nobody tops Ace-Robbins. Contact us today to learn more.

Go With The Pros At Ace-Robbins

Heating your home is probably the last thing on your mind with the kind of summer we’ve been having here in Tunkhannock – and that’s exactly why you should be thinking about it.
The truth is, we’re now past the halfway point of Summer 2019, and before you know it you’ll be getting the kids ready to go back to school. When that time comes, you’re going to have more important things on your mind than managing your propane deliveries – but how you do it can really impact your quality of life down the road.
Fortunately, making a choice between propane delivery options is simply a matter of giving us a call at 570-836-3232. When you do, we’ll ask you to choose between two options: Automatic Delivery and Will Call.
What’s the difference? Let’s find out.

Automatic Delivery

How it works – With Automatic Delivery, our computer system estimates how much fuel your home will use based on your past use and how cold it is outside. Your Ace-Robbins driver will come at a convenient time for you when your tank gets to be one-quarter full.
Pros

• No tank watching
• No run-outs* or restarts
• No need to call for / schedule a delivery
• Priority service in periods of high demand
• 15-cent per gallon discount if payment is submitted within 10 days

Cons

• You rely on us to schedule your deliveries rather than managing the process yourself (many would consider this a “pro”!)
• *If you make a significant change in your home or lifestyle (build an addition to your home, add a new family member who needs additional heat on in the house, etc.) without letting us know, our computer estimates might be off, resulting in a run-out.

Will Call

How it works – You keep track of your own oil level and call us when you need a delivery.
Pros

• Complete control over the monitoring and delivery call-in schedule for your propane deliveries.

Cons

• A minimum 24-hour notice is needed for a delivery request – more is suggested during a storm or cold snap (a good rule of thumb is to call when the level of your tank reads about 25 percent full).
• Ace-Robbins is not responsible for run-outs if you do not provide enough notice for delivery. In some cases, we can make a same-day emergency propane delivery if you have a run-out or you’re close to running out, but extra charges may apply.

As you can see, Automatic Delivery has some significant advantages over Will Call – a big reason why most of our customers take advantage of this convenient service from Ace-Robbins.
Still, if you prefer to watch the fuel level of their storage tank, that’s no problem – with our large fleet of trucks, we can get fuel quickly and reliably when others can’t!
For reliable propane deliveries in Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Sullivan, and Wyoming Counties, no one beats the pros at Ace-Robbins. To join the Ace family of customers – or to switch from Will Call to Automatic Delivery – contact us today.

With the hot, sticky mess that Mother Nature has handed us during the first half of summer 2019, it’s easy to forget that fall heating season is just two months away.
But it is.
Before the end of summer creeps up on you, why not take heating season 2019/20 matters into your own hands and do these four smart things in the weeks ahead – in between trips from your pool to the air conditioned comfort of your Pennsylvania home.

Smart Ways To Be Ready For Cold Weather

• Enroll in EZ Pay* – The Ace-Robbins EZ Pay program splits your annual heating bill into 12 equal payments (with one adjustment payment or credit) to give you the same predictable bill total every month. That saves you from having to pay 80 percent of the year’s heating oil or propane delivery bills during the winter months.
  And speaking of saving, did you know that you get 15-cent-per gallon discount on your fuel when you enroll in EZ Pay? You do now!
• Enroll in an Ace-Robbins Service Plan – Avoid the mad late-summer rush and schedule your annual heating maintenance now. Enroll in an Ace-Robins Preventative or Comprehensive Plan for your propane or heating oil equipment and you can rest assured that your heating systems will run at peak efficiency starting on Day 1 of heating season 2019/20.
• Switch to Automatic Delivery – With Automatic Delivery from Ace-Robbins, you won’t have to remember to schedule your deliveries or worry about a fuel delivery again. We’ll take care of everything, scheduling your delivery based on estimates of your past usage and the current weather. This service is available for our propane and heating oil customers.
• Replace your older heating system – Summer is the perfect time to upgrade your older heating equipment. Today’s high-efficiency furnaces, boilers, and water heaters can cut your annual fuel costs by 20 percent or more, often saving you enough in energy bills to offset the cost of your heating upgrade in just a few years (this is especially true if you opt for a super-efficient Rinnai tankless propane water heater to replace your clunky, inefficient storage-type water heater).

Contact Ace-Robbins today to get started with EZ Pay, or to schedule your heating system maintenance or propane equipment installation for 2019/20!
* Enrollment for our EZ Pay Payment Plan is ending soon, so act now!

If you took the trouble to build an outdoor living space for your Pennsylvania home, chances are you do a lot of entertaining in your yard or on your patio – and that cold drinks are right at the center of your outdoor party world.
An outdoor icemaker is a great way to keep those parties going and the cool drinks coming as things heat up this summer in PA. But what questions should you ask before investing in an icemaker for your outdoor entertainment space?

Six important thoughts about a new icemaker:

1. Where will I put it? Will you be installing your icemaker as a built-in or a stand-alone unit? Knowing where it will be installed will help you decide which one to choose.
2. How will it be ventilated? If you plan to install your icemaker in an outdoor kitchen island, you need to know how it ventilates. Most outdoor icemakers are front vented, meaning that no extra spacing is needed for installation. If you choose a rear-vented icemaker, you will need to allow extra venting space inside your kitchen island or cabinet area.
3. How much space do I have? If you plant to install your outdoor icemaker in a preexisting cutout, you need to find an icemaker with the proper width, depth, and height dimensions for your island (plus venting considerations – see #2 above). If you plan to use your icemaker as a standalone unit, you will have more size flexibility.
4. How will I protect it from the elements? As with any outdoor appliance, it is best to have your icemaker in a dry, covered area, protected from harsh weather and direct sunlight to prevent damage and performance issues.
5. How will I drain my outdoor icemaker? Most outdoor icemakers will need a way to drain condensation and melted ice from their storage bins. There are typically three drain options when it comes to outdoor ice makers: gravity drains (where the drain is near the icemaker), drain pumps (where the drain is not near the icemaker), and self-contained units (where draining is not needed).
6. How much ice will I need? How fast your unit makes ice and how much ice it can store are two very important considerations when choosing an outdoor icemaker. To give you some sense of how much you’ll need for your parties: you typically use about half a pound of ice for each 8-ounce drink. In other words, an icemaker with a 35-pound storage capacity (like this one) will give you enough ice for about 70 drinks.

Ready to add an icemaker – or any other outdoor living appliance – to your outdoor kitchen? We can help! Visit our Tunkhannock showroom to see our full line of quality outdoor and indoor appliances today!

It’s been a muggy early summer so far in Northeastern PA, which means your central air conditioner or ductless mini-split system is probably working overtime to keep your family cool and comfortable.
To keep that kind of pace for the duration of these dog days, your home cooling system had better be in top shape – especially if it’s got a few cooling seasons under its (fan) belt. The only way to make sure that’s the case is to schedule routine A/C maintenance if you haven’t done so already.
As we’ve said many times on this blog, an investment in routine A/C service will just about pay for itself in energy savings alone, since a home cooling system loses about five percent of its efficiency every year it doesn’t get a check-up from an HVAC pro.
But there are more reasons than energy savings to choose annual heating maintenance: if you get your A/C tune-up now you can also save you money by catching minor issues before they turn into costly cooling system repairs, and by keeping your equipment running more reliably through what is expected to be a hot, sticky summer.
Maintaining your cooling equipment will also help o improve air quality in your home: when combined with regular air filter swap-outs, a properly serviced A/C will keep air flowing and humidity in check, which reduces the likelihood of problems with indoor air pollutants ranging from pet dander to mold and other allergens.
The bottom line
Your air conditioner works hard to keep your family comfortable; the cost of that hard work is wear and tear –perhaps not enough to notice right away, but often enough to start your equipment down the path to long-term problems. During routine maintenance, our NATE-certified air conditioning technicians thoroughly examine your cooling system to root out problems and make sure it’s ready for the strain of day-to-day use over the course of a hot Pennsylvania summer.
Remember: your home air conditioner is an investment that needs protection. An annual air conditioning tune-up is a must-have for any home cooling system – schedule yours today!
If you haven’t had annual A/C service since last year, now is the time! Schedule your annual A/C tune-up today – and if you need an high efficiency A/C upgrade, we can help you there, too. Contact us today to get a FREE, no obligation estimate for a professional A/C installation for your Tunkhannock, PA-area home.

Planning a summer road trip? An escape to the mountains? A European getaway?
Wherever your vacation plans take you, we bet you’ve budgeted for just about everything you’ll need along the way – right down to the last gallon of gasoline or tour map. But what about the costs of keeping things running in the home you’re leaving behind?
With a little planning, you can keep those costs to a minimum. Try these six tips to save energy at home while you’re on vacation:

1. Keep it dark – Give your house a once over, turning off all lights and fans to save energy. Shut and lock all doors and windows to keep the summer heat out.
2. Give our propane delivery crew a call – If you are an Ace-Robbins automatic propane delivery customer, let us know you’re leaving town for a while. Your delivery date is based on an estimate of your past bills; if you aren’t around using propane, that estimate will be off, and you’ll pay for an unnecessary delivery.
3. Turn up the thermostat – Home cooling is the biggest energy drainer in your PA home during the summer…but if no one is around to enjoy all that conditioned air, why pay for it? Turn your thermostat up to 84 degrees before you hit the road, and set your fan for “auto” rather than “on” to prevent it from running 24/7. Just don’t turn your A/C completely off: it could cause a build-up of moisture that leads to a mold problem.
4. Block that sun – Close the blinds or pull the curtains before you head down holiday road; this will prevent the sun from overheating your space (which your air conditioner will overwork to cool).
5. Kill your water heater – If you have an electric water heater, shut it down at the breaker so it’s not keeping your reserve hot water warm when you don’t need it. Of course, if you had a propane tankless heater, you wouldn’t have to deal with this problem, since it doesn’t store any water (one of the many reasons to consider this energy-saving upgrade).
6. Keep stuff in your fridge – A full refrigerator is more energy efficient than a half-empty one, so resist the urge to dump non-perishables when you leave town. The best way to save energy with your fridge? Replace your old model with an ultra high efficiency refrigerator upgrade.
7. Keep the vampires at bay – Anything with a light on it draws current – this is often referred to as “vampire power.” To keep the energy suckers away, unplug anything with a light on it. This includes your TV, media players, cable boxes, computers, ovens, microwaves, and other appliances. If you use a smart strip, power it off.

Ready for a summer break? So is your cooling equipment! Schedule a “spa day” for your air conditioner by signing up for professional A/C maintenance from Ace-Robbins before you hit the road! Contact us today to learn more.

Summer’s here…time for some outdoor fun, courtesy of clean, green propane gas!
Propane can help you get more from your summer months. With it you will be able to:

1. Grill like a pro – A propane barbecue grill offers the same precision temperature control and even heating that you get from your propane range or cooktop – plus the flame broiled goodness of a charcoal barbecue without the mess or set-up time.
2. Swim on cool nights and mornings – Ever skip your morning or evening dip because the weather is just too cool for comfort? You won’t have to if you use a propane pool heater. Propane can warm up your hot tub, too.
3. Keep your company cozy – As hot as it gets during summer here in Pennsylvania, it can still get cool enough at night to make your guests uncomfortable –especially toward the end of the season. An outdoor propane space heater will keep your outdoor parties doing well into a cool night – or well into the fall!
4. Stop the itching – We don’t know what your idea of summer fun is, but we can bet it’s not scratching mosquito bites. With a little help from a propane mosquito trap, you’ll keep the bloodsuckers away without the chemical smells or nasty zapping sounds.
5. Gather under the stars – Star gazing by the fire is something we humans have been doing a long time – but now we’ve perfected it thanks to the power of propane! With a propane outdoor fireplace, fire table or fire pit, you’ll get all benefits of a campfire at the push of a button, with no set up or clean up.
6. Keep your garden growing – If you have a greenhouse in or near your PA home, you need a dependable way to keep the perfect temperatures for your summer plants and veggies. A propane greenhouse heater will do just that.

Propane – the summer fun fuel! Need propane for your outdoor living appliances? Contact the propane pros at Ace-Robbins today!

Spring 2019 was a long, wet, and dreary one here in Pennsylvania – and if you’re like many of our PA neighbors, your typical spring-cleaning tasks have made their way into early summer.
If you’re dreading your big annual cleanup of yard and in-home debris – all that bagging, sorting, and pick-up scheduling – take heart: with an economical dumpster rental from Ace-Robbins Pro Hauling, your summer cleaning projects will go smoother, faster, and easier than ever.
Why rent a dumpster for your summer cleanup project? Consider these dumpster rental advantages:

• It simplifies your project – With a dumpster rental, there’s no need to buy supplies, sort your garbage, or make calls to your municipal garbage collector; just contact us for a dumpster delivery to your home address, then call again to have it removed (no more waiting for collection!).
• You can do the whole job at once – Our dumpsters come in volume capacities that range from 12 to 40 yards – with that kind of space, you’ll never have to worry about project slowdowns as you run out of space.
• It’s more convenient than bags – Let’s face it: finding the best way to fill bags takes time and effort. Rather than wasting that brainpower doing an efficient pack out, just haul and fill your dumpster.
• It’s neater than bags – A single dumpster looks better than dozens of bags sitting at the curb – just ask your neighbors.
• Dumpsters can hold anything – even large debris – Ever try to bag disassembled furniture or tree limbs? It isn’t fun. With a properly sized yard dumpster, you’ll be able to fit just about anything you want to discard: as long as you aren’t adding in hazardous or prohibited waste, fill away.
• You won’t need to sort your garbage – With municipal garbage removal, you’ll spend a lot of time separating your throwaway items; With a dumpster, everything goes in the same receptacle.
• Dumpsters are more eco-friendly – With a dumpster, you’ll be keeping a lot of plastic out of the landfill.
• Dumpster rentals are flexible – Although standard dumpster rentals are 7 to 10 days, we will work with you to get your project done as cost-efficiently as possible. Whether your project requires several phases, expands beyond its original scope, or takes longer than expected, we’ll help you make seamless transitions between dumpster rentals that cut down on wasted time and costs.

As you can see, a dumpster rental can be the perfect choice for a summer cleanup project for your Pennsylvania home or business. To learn if a dumpster rental is right for you, contact a Pro Hauling expert at Ace-Robbins today, or call us at 570-240-6010.

Andrea. Dorian. Imelda. Rebekah.
No, they’re not the names of characters from a new show on Netflix – they’re four of this year’s Atlantic hurricane names, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be hearing more about at least a few of them once Atlantic Hurricane Season gets underway on June 1.
While Pennsylvania does not typically find itself on track to experience the worst of these powerful storms, even remnants of them can still have a significant impact on our property – including power outages.
One of the best ways to cope with power outages is to invest in a whole house backup generator, which restores power mere seconds after the grid goes down. That will not only keep your lights on, it will keep your refrigerator, cooling system, sump pump, home security system, and more up and running. In a time where severe weather is becoming more common, a backup generator is fast transforming from a luxury to a necessity for your PA home.
Whether or not you’re ready to install a backup generator, though, planning for severe weather is the key to minimizing its potentially disastrous effects. Here are some pointers for severe weather preparedness for you home:

1. Stay informed about the approaching storm by listening to news online and in your local media. It’s also a good idea to keep a list of important severe weather resources on hand.
2. Charge all family cellphones, laptops, tablets, etc. in advance of the storm.
3. Have an emergency kit prepared and ready. To learn more about putting together an emergency kit, visit www.ready.gov.
4. Test your smoke alarm and CO detectors every year; make sure they have fresh batteries before severe weather arrives.
5. Consider purchasing disposable coolers and dry ice to preserve perishable food.
6. Withdraw cash and gas up your car before the storm arrives; power outages can shut down power in banks and other important places.
7. If high winds are predicted, secure lawn furniture and other objects in your yard.
8. Clear storm drains of any debris that could clog and back up rainwater.
9. Establish a communications plan with family members and friends.
10. If you have a backup generator,
    • Follow manufacturer’s instructions on how to use it safely;
    • Have it professionally serviced at least once a year (twice would be better here in the four-season Hudson Valley) to keep it running reliably; and
    • Fill it with propane before a major storm arrives, and after you use it.

Atlantic Hurricane season is coming – be ready! To learn more about professional generator installation, or to order propane for your existing generator, contact the propane pros at Ace-Robbins today.