The cool weather of autumn on Long Island has arrived. Temperatures are dropping quickly and many home-owners may have already turned their heat on. These simple steps can help you to prepare your home heating system for the long winter ahead.
1. Remove all flammable objects from near your water heater and heating system
This tip can prevent very dangerous accidents from occurring in your home. Do not store any boxes, aerosol cans, paper products, paint cans, cleaners and other flammable products near your furnace and water heater.
2. Search out and combat any drafts
Nearly half of all the energy used in a home escapes through gaps in windows and doors. This lost energy equals lost money. To prevent annoying drafts, use caulk to fill small holes, gaps and cracks in the following areas:
- Any spots where cables and pipes enter your home.
- Spaces where floors meet outside walls.
- The outside frames of windows and doors.
- Gaps inside of electrical boxes
Install weather stripping to stop drafts around the edges of doors and windows. This is a great fix for older windows, which often have gaps between the window sash and sill.
3. Check to see that air is flowing through your vents
The job of your home’s heating vents is to circulate warm air throughout your home. If the vents are not allowing air to flow due to an obstruction or leak, your system will need to work extra hard to heat all the areas of your home evenly. Faulty duct work accounts for up to 20 percent of the heating loss in homes on Long Island.
After checking to make sure that your heating system is working properly, it is time to determine which air ducts are potentially blocked or leaking. While you can seal your leaking ducts yourself, some of your duct-work is in hard-to-reach areas. In that case you’ll need a professional to both find and seal the leaks.
4. Dial it down
Turning down your thermostat by one degree for a period of at least 8 hours a day equals a yearly savings of 1% on your heating bill. Lowering your heat before you leave the house for the day and just before you go to bed can add up to significantly lower heating costs.
If you find yourself forgetting to dial down your thermostat each night, consider a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are extremely easy to use and can be set to specific temperatures for certain times of days and days of the week. Each thermostat is approximately $150, a cost that will more than pay for itself in your reduced heating bills.
5. Stop warm air from escaping up your chimney
A simple solution to block the air flow is to buy an inflatable chimney balloon. Available on amazon.com and other retailers, the balloons cost about $50. If you forget to take it out before you start a fire, the balloon will automatically deflate, so your home will not fill up with smoke. They come in various sizes, so check with your chimney cleaning company to make sure you order the correct one for your fireplace.
6. Let Mother Nature help warm your home
Even when the outside temperatures are below freezing, the sun’s rays can still add heat to your home. Take advantage of the free heat by opening blinds and curtains during the day, especially those on the south side of your house where there is direct sunlight. The added heat will reduce how much your furnace needs to run. Be sure to close your curtains at night to reduce any unwanted drafts.
Cold weather does not have to mean over-inflated utility bills. Following these simple steps can dramatically reduce how much you need to spend to keep your home warm and toasty during this cold Long Island winter. Contact Dole Fuel Oil today for all of your home heating questions.
