Written on: November 25, 2019
How To Save On Heating Bills This Season
As temperatures drop, heating bills rise. But how much they rise can depend on how much time, effort, and sensible money you put into improving the energy efficiency of your Connecticut or Northern Westchester County home.
Heating Bill Cost Cutting Tips
Here are some of the smartest ways to cut your heating bills this fall and winter:
- Seal air leaks – You could be losing as much as 15 percent of the air you paid to heat through cracks around your doors and windows; you’ll also be letting cold air into your house, which will make your heating system work harder to do the same job. Installing simple measures like weather stripping, caulk and door sweeps can help combat drafts and keep warm air inside where it belongs.
- Clear vents – Airflow is a key to heating your home efficiently; keep vents, baseboards and radiators clear of furniture, curtains, and other obstructions.
- Program your thermostat – Using your thermostat to manage heat when you’re home and away could save as much as 10 percent on your heating bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Just be sure to not drop temperatures too low during periods of extreme cold – you could end up with a frozen plumbing pipe problem.
- Take in that solar heat – Open blinds and curtains during the day to let sun in – just remember to close them at night to retain that heat.
- Reverse your ceiling fan – Most ceiling fans reverse with the flip of a switch; if yours does, make sure it is rotating clockwise, which pushes rising warm air back into your room.
- Service your equipment – Routine annual maintenance or your furnace or boiler will keep your equipment running efficiently and reliably all winter long.
- Consider professional duct sealing – If you have a forced air system (one with vents rather than baseboards or radiators), leaks in your ducts could be keeping 10 percent or more of the air you paid to heat from ever reaching your living space. A professional duct sealing will fix hard to find leaks and keep that heating loss to a minimum.
- Invest in new heating equipment – A 15-year-old oil furnace or boiler could have an efficiency rating that dips into the low-70 percent range – as much as 25 percent less than a new model. With that kind of efficiency improvement, an upgrade could pay for itself in just a few years in fuel savings alone.
It’s not too late to sign up for a high-value heating Service Plan for your oil-fired equipment. Contact us today to get started, or to schedule a heating oil delivery for in CT or Northern Westchester!
