Suppliers of heating oil and wood pellets in Schuylkill County say they are busy as customers fill up in anticipation of winter.

“We’ve been busy all summer,” said Don Fegley, owner of Fegley Oil Company in Tamaqua.

The company serves Tamaqua, Lehighton, Walnutport, New Tripoli, Jim Thorpe, Hazleton. Fegley said about 50% of the customers are on the budget program. The company delivers oil seven days a week. Normally, people buy 150 gallons at a time, he said.

“If you can afford to fill it, I would put as much in as you can,” he said.

Different options are available to pay for the oil.

The U.S. Winter Outlook for 2021-2022 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center calls for above average temperatures in the Northeast region compared to 2020. An equal chance of precipitation from last winter is forecast.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration says nationwide heating prices will be more overall due to “changes to energy supply and demand patterns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Most of the country heats with either natural gas or electricity, according the U.S. EIA. About 4% heat with oil, propane accounts for 5% and wood 1.3%.

Customers could spend 30 percent more for natural gas, 43 percent for heating oil, 6 percent more for electricity. An overall breakdown for wood increases was not provided. Roughly, 1.3 percent of the population use wood as a primarily heating source.

Jeff Reigel, owner of Reigel Fuel Oil LLC, in Tamaqua, said a lot of customers are on automatic fill-ups.

The service area includes Tamaqua, Brockton, Coaldale, Lansford, Summit Hill, New Ringgold and other places. The company offers prepaying for oil, fixed oil prices and heating oil insurance. He said most of the customers pay the market price for oil. There is a 50-gallon minimum order.

“If they run out, we will make every effort to get them the same day,” he said.

Wood pellets are a hot item at Stoves n Stuff in Tamaqua. The company also has a location in Stroudsburg and Emmaus.

The sites sell wood, coal pellet and gas stoves.

“Wood and coal pellets are going to be a good alternative to the high prices of oil and electric,” Pete Carmean said.

The wood pellets come in 40 pound bags. There are 50 bags to a ton. He said most people will use about 3 tons this heating season. Depending on which brand the customers by, price varies.

For example, a 40 pound bag of Energex wood pellets cost $5.25. Barefoot pellets, which have a lower ash content and have less residue, are $5.75.

“We’re pretty well-stocked,” Carmean said.