Winter Energy Saving Tips For Your Home
Lower Your Heating Oil or Propane Bills WITHOUT Sacrificing Comfort
We’re coming off a year where energy prices soared to historic highs, and 40-year-high inflation affected the grocery aisles and nearly everywhere else, too.
While prices are just now starting to fall back to earth, we can appreciate that the South Shore households we serve don’t want to waste any bit of energy—especially in the most frigid months of the calendar year!
Here are six simple ways you can reduce your energy use for the rest of the winter season—and those to come in years ahead:
1. Upgrade Your Home’s Insulation
Do you have an uninsulated attic, crawl space, basement or attached garage? They’re likely letting in cold air and letting heat escape from your living spaces. Even recently built homes can benefit from extra insulation.
The U.S. Department of Energy offers recommendations for the correct R-value—the heat flow reduction measurement—for your region. For example, they recommend Massachusetts homeowners use between R48 and R60 material for uninsulated attics.
The DOE advises that adding insulation to these areas can lower your heating and cooling expenses by up to 20 percent and your overall energy expenses by up to 10 percent!
2. Invest In a Smart Thermostat
Lowering your thermostat by just 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day can reduce your annual heating costs by up to 10%, according to the DOE. The best way to accomplish this is by programming your thermostat to drop its temperature while you sleep or are at work.
A smart thermostat can detect when you’re out of the house and adjust it’s settings accordingly; you can also control it remotely whether you’re away for the day, weekend, or on vacation.
3. Passive Heating Strategies
Open your curtains or blinds while the sun is shining, and you can take advantage of the free heat it offers. It’s also a good idea to trim back any branches that might block the sunshine. Even a few added degrees can go a long way in making helping your heating system work a little less hard.
4. Don’t Let the Warm Air Escape
Keep your fireplace damper shut unless you have an active fire burning. Leaving it open at other times is like opening a window in your home in the middle of winter.
Also, avoid using venting fans—like those in your kitchen or bathroom—unless necessary. These fans can draw a significant amount of warm air out of your home.
5. Check Your Water Heater Settings
Did you know that hot water generation comprises 20 percent of the average home’s energy use? You can save serious money without giving up a relaxing shower by lowering your water heater’s temperature to the warm setting (120°F).
When you leave town, set your water heater’s thermostat to vacation mode if able so that you don’t reheat a tank of water you aren’t using.
6. Tune Up Your Heating Equipment
At Frank Lamparelli, we recommend that customers get heating equipment maintenance once a year. This allows our skilled technicians to calibrate, clean, and test your system to keep it running as efficiently as possible.
Efficient heating systems burn less gas or oil and break down less often. This saves you money, and stress, in the winter when you rely on it the most!
Ready to schedule a tune-up of your South Shore home’s boiler or furnace? Looking for a local, reliable delivery provider for your heating oil or propane? Just drop us a line to request service or to find out how easy it is to switch to us today!