Home Heating Tips for The Cold Season Ahead

3 Ways to Save Energy This Winter

With energy costs soaring and no relief in sight, plenty of people are hoping the Farmer’s Almanac forecast for a mild fall is on the nose. But it doesn’t have to be hard to keep heating costs under control without spending the winter layered in sweaters.

Efficiency is all about making things easier, and that includes keeping your home warm and comfortable. When it comes to heating your home, energy efficiency means helping your equipment work better, not harder, to produce heat. It’s also about setting up your home so that heat isn’t wasted.

From practical tips a thrifty Yankee will appreciate to savvy investments that will offer long-term returns, here’s how to improve energy efficiency and stay cozy all winter.

1. Thrifty Tips and Tricks

There are plenty of zero-cost ways you can make sure your home is using energy efficiently and not wasting heat.

Turning down your water heater is an easy way to see significant savings. That’s because the default setting on most water heaters is 140°, which is not only dangerous, it’s also inefficient. Lowering the temperature setting to 120° will meet all your hot water needs and save as much as 10% in heating costs. When you consider that heating water—for bathing, dishwashing, laundry and more—accounts for close to 20% of your heating costs, you may want to talk to us about upgrading your water heater to a high-efficiency model that can help you save even more.

Take advantage of free heat from the sun. Leaving curtains and blinds open during the day lets the sun warm your rooms. Closing them at night helps keep the heat in. It can warm your rooms enough that you can lower your thermostat and use your boiler or furnace less. (Reverse this practice in summer to keep rooms cooler during the day.)

Just as ceiling fans help maximize efficiency of your AC in the summer, they can help you improve heating efficiency in winter. Switching the direction of your ceiling fan in winter and running it at a low speed will gently push warm air that rises toward the ceiling back down toward floor level.

2. Hit the Home Store

With a quick trip to the local big box home store, you can snag some low-cost items to help you improve efficiency all around your house.

Caulking, weatherstripping and expanding foam are inexpensive and easy ways to seal up drafts. Unless you live in a brand-new home, it’s likely that as much as a third of the air in your home escapes via drafts around windows and doors. That’s like throwing money out the window—or door. A weekend of DIY projects can help save you 20% or more on heating costs.

Replace your air filter. A dirty air filter can restrict air flow, making your heating equipment work harder to heat your home. That uses more fuel and increases bills. The filter protects your heating equipment from dirt and dust, which helps prevent problems that can lead to a breakdown—and an expensive repair.

If you’re handy, upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat isn’t too hard—but we can help if you prefer to rely on a pro who can get it done right the first time. Either way, when used correctly, a programmable thermostat can help you lower your heating costs by 10% or more.

3. Work with a Professional

This is where we shine: Our team of trained and certified pros can help you replace outdated systems with high-efficiency equipment that is just right for you, your home and your budget. A new heating system is an investment, but upgrading to new high-efficiency equipment can drastically cut energy costs, while improving your comfort for years to come.

If you—or your system—isn’t ready for an upgrade, remember that maintenance is key. Well-maintained systems can last for 20 years, and it’s never too late to schedule seasonal maintenance for your heating equipment. A tune-up keeps your heating equipment running smoothly, so it will use less fuel to keep your home warm. Our service technicians check for and fix problems that can decrease performance and efficiency, or that could lead to breakdowns, no-heat emergencies, and expensive repairs.

More Ways to Save

We’re always looking for ways to help you keep costs under control. Casey Energy’s Budget Pay Plans for heating oil or propane eliminate the spikes and make it easy for you to plan ahead.

We estimate how many gallons of fuel you’ll use, based on your past usage, the size of your home and your equipment. Then, we spread the cost over 12 months. You get a level bill every month: no surprises. The program is free, and you can enroll any time—but you must be signed up for automatic deliveries for propane or heating oil.

Ready to learn more? Contact us today for more information.