Keeping your home comfortable year-round can get expensive. Are you wondering how to best combat rising energy costs, especially as the cold season is approaching? Fortunately, there are several ways to maximize the efficiency of your home heating oil or propane system and save money this winter.

Efficiency Tips for Home Heating Oil Systems

1. Practice Simple Conservation 

Homes can lose heat in a variety of ways. The goal of this step is to keep it from escaping. Open your curtains when the sun is out to let solar energy help heat the home, and close them again at night. Install weatherstripping around doors, and caulk the exterior spaces between the windows and walls of your home. Insulate pipes to minimize heat loss and protect them from freezing. Use ceiling or ventilation fans sparingly, as they can quickly pull a lot of warm air out of a room.

2. Tune Up the System

Before the winter, replace the filter on the heating system. Dirty filters can block the regular function of the furnace and make the system consume more fuel to meet the thermostat temperature setting. Ideally, filters should be changed more often than once a year. Consult your user manual for guidance on how often to change filters. Also, check the furnace flame—it should be steady and blue. Engage the system by turning up the thermostat, and watch the flame through the inspection port. Contact a technician if the flame is yellow-orange or flickering.

3. Turn Down the Thermostat

Turn the thermostat down when you are away from home and at night. If you have a programmable thermostat, customize heating schedules for working and waking hours. Keeping the house just a few degrees cooler for several hours can save significant amounts of fuel and money.

4. Optimize Air Flow

To allow maximum ventilation of warm air, don’t place furniture over vents or in front of radiators. Likewise, close the doors and furnace vents in unused rooms. If possible, close closets and pet doors to prevent warm air from flowing where it isn’t needed.

Having a steady supply of high-quality, clean-burning fuel will also keep your monthly heating bills down this winter. To schedule a delivery in the Palmyra, NY, area, get in touch with Main Energy. The family-owned company offers home heating oil, propane, kerosene, diesel, and farm fuels and will help you build a payment plan to make the purchase affordable. Call (315) 597-5200 to schedule automatic or will-call delivery, and go to their website to find out more about their services.