Palmer Gas & Oil

Palmer Gas & Oil has been delivering fuel to southern New Hampshire homes since long before most of today's customers were born — the company says its roots go back to 1932, when Charles Ermer started a fuel oil business in the Salem area, and to 1949, when William Palmer began selling bottled gas from his truck; the two merged in 1981, and Bill Ermer, the founder's son, still runs it today. From its Atkinson base, it delivers propane and heating oil across southern New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts and southern Maine, and installs and services furnaces, boilers, generators, water heaters and — more recently — offers plumbing and electrical work. The volume of feedback is enormous: 771 Google ratings averaging 4.7★, plus a 4.8★ Angi score from 72 ratings. Recent reviews describe a company that shows up fast and knows what it's doing — a 2025 review said a technician arrived within half an hour of an emergency fuel run-out; a 2024 review described a Generac generator installation with detailed, hands-on training afterward; and a 2023 review said the company sent a repair team on a Friday evening during a heat wave when an air conditioner failed. Several reviewers describe relationships spanning years — one from 2026 cites over 20 years as a customer, another from 2022 cites more than four. A newer electrical service line comes up repeatedly too, with a 2026 review describing same-day thermostat wiring for a new boiler. The record also holds real, specific complaints worth weighing. A March 2026 review alleged the company nearly caused a home explosion during an earlier visit and said no manager was reachable afterward to discuss it. A separate, undated Better Business Bureau complaint described an oil-system leak the company allegedly caused and refused to repair, which the customer said led them to switch providers and report the issue to the state and the BBB. Other reviews describe billing friction: a 2023 review said oil was delivered without consent at a marked-up price, a 2024 review alleged the company's propane pre-buy program delays final deliveries to charge extra, and a June 2026 review disputed a $6,800 tank-replacement quote for a tank the company had itself inspected and passed a year earlier. Palmer Gas & Oil is a long-established option for propane, heating oil, HVAC and generator work across its delivery area, and the volume of positive, specific reviews is real; given the handful of serious safety and billing complaints on record, it's worth asking directly about a tank or system's inspection history and getting service terms in writing before signing up.