How Prices Work - HomeHeat

Where Prices Come From

We collect heating oil prices from multiple sources to give you the most complete picture possible:

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Supplier-Submitted

Verified suppliers update their own prices directly using a secure link. Most accurate and up-to-date.

Direct from supplier

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Published Prices

We collect prices that suppliers publish on their own websites. Updated regularly.

From supplier website

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Manual Research

For suppliers without online prices, we may call to verify pricing and add them to the directory.

Verified by HomeHeat

Important: Prices Are Estimates

Published prices are starting points. Final price may vary based on delivery quantity, payment method, location, and current market conditions. Always confirm pricing when you call.

How Listings Are Ordered

To help you make an informed choice, we prioritize suppliers who provide transparent, recently updated pricing:

1. Verified Pricing First. Suppliers with prices updated within the last 24-48 hours appear first. Within verified listings, we display prices transparently so you can compare.
2. Location & Coverage. We then list suppliers who serve your specific ZIP code but may require a phone call for a current quote.
3. Future Signals. As we grow, factors like availability and response history will also influence ordering.

Why Price Transparency Matters

Suppliers who publish current prices are easier to compare. Those without prices aren't necessarily worse—they may prefer to quote based on your specific needs. We show both so you can choose.

What We Don't Do

No paid placement today. Suppliers can't pay to appear higher in search results. If we introduce sponsored visibility in the future, it will be clearly labeled and distinguishable from organic listings.
No hidden algorithms. We don't secretly demote suppliers based on proprietary scores.
No exclusivity requirements. Suppliers can list on HomeHeat alongside any other platform.
No response time penalties. We don't punish suppliers for being busy or slow to respond.
No lead interception. When you call a supplier, you're calling them directly. We don't record calls or insert ourselves into the relationship.

Our Guiding Principles

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Homeowner-First

Everything we build is designed to help homeowners find reliable fuel delivery. That's our primary purpose.

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Fair to Suppliers

We respect that suppliers run real businesses. No gotchas, no hidden rules, no punitive policies.

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Transparent Methods

If you wonder why something is sorted a certain way, we'll explain it. No black boxes.

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Continuous Improvement

We listen to feedback from both homeowners and suppliers to make HomeHeat better over time.

Price Accuracy & Freshness

We indicate when prices were last updated so you can judge their reliability:

Today/Yesterday: Very fresh. Likely accurate.
This week: Recent. Should be close.
Older: May have changed. Confirm when calling.

Prices in the heating oil market can change daily based on wholesale costs, so we encourage you to verify the current price when you contact a supplier.

How Prices Work on HomeHeat