What Affects Heating Oil Prices on Long Island

From the Alcus family · Alcus Fuel Oil & Sons, Amityville · Updated October 31, 2026

The short answer: most of the price you pay for heating oil is set by the wholesale market, which moves every business day. The rest depends on choices you make: how much you order, how you pay, and whether you wait until the tank is nearly empty.

Here's what actually moves the number on Long Island, from the big world forces down to the things in your control. Want today's price for your home? Check today's heating oil price by ZIP code.

1. Crude oil and the wholesale market

Home heating oil (No. 2 fuel oil) is a distillate, made from crude oil the same way diesel fuel is. When crude oil prices rise or fall, wholesale heating oil usually follows within days. Wholesale distillate prices for the Northeast are traded every business day, and local oil companies buy from terminals at a price tied to that market.

That's why no dealer can promise a price weeks ahead. When the wholesale price moves 10¢, retail prices across Long Island tend to move about the same amount soon after.

2. Supply and demand in the Northeast

Season. Demand climbs from late fall through February. A long cold snap can tighten supply and push wholesale prices up.
Inventories. When stocks of distillate on the East Coast are low going into winter, prices are more likely to jump.
Diesel demand. Trucks, farms and industry use the same kind of fuel. Strong diesel demand keeps heating oil prices firm even in mild weather.
Refinery and shipping problems. Refinery outages, storms and shipping disruptions can raise prices quickly, then ease as supply recovers.

3. Local costs of getting oil to your house

Between the terminal and your fill pipe there are trucks, drivers, insurance, fuel for the trucks themselves and the office that takes your call. Those costs are part of every dealer's price. It's also why very small deliveries cost a little more per gallon: the truck makes the same trip whether it drops 25 gallons or 200.

4. The things you control

How you pay. At Alcus, our posted price is for credit, debit and prepaid cards. Pay the driver cash and save 20¢ on every gallon. Card customers pay only for the gallons actually delivered.
How much you order. Our minimum is 25 gallons, which helps when money is tight. Ordering 100 gallons or more gets you a better price per gallon than a small delivery.
When you order. Ordering at about 1/4 tank gives you time to watch the price and avoids a rushed delivery. Running out can also mean a burner restart. See what to do if you run out.
Will-call vs. automatic. Will-call (COD) gets you the day's will-call price. Automatic delivery costs a little more per gallon, but we watch the weather and your usage so you don't run out. Compare them in automatic vs. will-call delivery.
Your own usage. A yearly burner tune-up keeps your system from wasting oil, and a few degrees lower on the thermostat at night adds up over a winter.

5. Comparing prices the right way

When you compare oil companies, look at more than the per-gallon number:

Is the price for cash or for card? Is there a card fee?
What's the minimum delivery, and does a small order cost more?
Do you have to sign a contract or join a plan to get that price?
Are there extra fees for rush or emergency delivery? (We don't charge a rush fee. Night emergency deliveries carry a $95 emergency fee, and we tell you before we come.)
Will someone answer the phone when it's 15°F and your burner won't start?

Where to check prices

For averages, the U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes weekly residential heating oil prices for New York from October through March (updated Wednesdays), and NYSERDA publishes weekly home heating oil prices for regions of New York State. For our price at your address, use the price checker or call 631-264-8800.

Need help paying for oil?

HEAP, New York's Home Energy Assistance Program, helps eligible households pay for heating oil, and we accept it. See HEAP 2026–27 for heating oil and our HEAP application guide for Suffolk and Nassau.

Ready to order? Order heating oil online (here's how ordering works), or see delivery in Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Need oil or service on the South Shore?

Order heating oil 📞 Call 631-264-8800 Urgent call back

Questions

Why did my heating oil price change from last week?

Heating oil is priced off the wholesale market, which moves every business day with crude oil, diesel demand and supply on the East Coast. Local dealers update their price as their own wholesale cost changes, so a few cents up or down from week to week is normal.

Is heating oil cheaper in summer?

Often a little, because demand is lower, but not always. World crude oil prices can outweigh the season. Filling up before the first cold snap mostly saves you from running low when every company is busy.

What is the cheapest way to buy heating oil from Alcus?

Order when your gauge is around 1/4, choose 100 gallons or more (smaller deliveries cost a little more per gallon), and pay the driver cash on delivery to save 20¢ on every gallon. No contract is needed.

Where can I check average heating oil prices in New York?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and NYSERDA both publish weekly average residential heating oil prices for New York during the heating season (October through March).