Rising Oil Prices! Save Money On Heating!
Fearing this winters rising oil prices? This winter is going to be very expensive with respect to your household heating costs. Don’t worry - with proper preparation of your heater and air ducts you could cut the expenses at large.
You can substantially reduce your energy use by adding efficient controls and by making full use of solar energy. If your heating system or air conditioner is old or inefficient, it may also be cost effective to replace it with a newer high-efficiency design.
Lowering the Energy Use of Your Furnace or Boiler
- Set your thermostat as low as it would be comfortable.
- Keep the temperature fairly constant, as frequent changes will use more energy. Setting back the temperature at night, however, is recommended.
- Clean or replace furnace filters once a month or as needed.
- Oil-fired boilers should be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year. Gas-fired equipment needs to be checked every other year.
- Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed. Make sure they are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
- Keep draperies and shades on south-facing windows open during the heating season to allow sunlight to enter your home; close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
- Close the door to an unoccupied room or area that is isolated from the rest of the house and turn down the thermostat or turn off the heat for that room or area. However, do not turn the heating off if it adversely affects the rest of your system.
- Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. Turn these fans off as soon as they are no longer needed. In about 1 hour, these fans can pull out a house-full of warmed or cooled air.
- Check your ducts for air leaks (read below). First look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes. Consult with a professional about repairing duct leaks. Safe duct repairs require a licensed heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning contractor.
Improving the Efficiency of Your Duct System
The duct system is used in air heating and air cooling your home. It is a collection of tubes that distributes the heated or cooled air to the various rooms. This system can make a big difference in both the cost and the effectiveness of heating and cooling the home. The duct system can have an important effect on health of the occupants through the distribution of indoor air pollution. Changes and repairs to a duct system should always be performed by a qualified professional.
Typical duct systems lose about 25 to 40 percent of the heating or cooling energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner. Duct systems lose energy in two ways: by conduction of heat from the warm surface, and air leakage through small cracks and seams. Because of the possible effects that changing the duct leakage pattern can have on indoor air pollution, you should not attempt to repair duct leaks yourself. When a qualified professional repairs your duct system, it is quite likely that the quality of your indoor air will improve. A qualified practitioner will perform the tests necessary to make sure that no problems are created where they didn’t exist before.
Need help to successfully capitalize on the energy savings opportunities for your home? Try using the Energy Advisor where you’ll find a host of links to practical information, ranging from lists of specific efficient products, tips about selecting a good contractor and even information on what assistance your utility might have to offer.
Related Heating Information:
- Duct Cleaners & Furnace Cleaning
- Free & Easy - Energy Saving Tips
- Home Energy – Efficiency & Audits
- Air Conditioning Tips & Tricks You Must Know!
- Heating Repair Services
- Furnace Cleaning, Maintenance & Tune-ups
- Water Heater Problems?
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