Many people view the cost of home heating as an unavoidable winter budget item. If you depend upon home heating oil to fuel your furnace and keep you warm, you may have a little control over how much you spend annually to heat your home. The following tips can help you save money on your fuel oil costs.
Tip #1: Foster Relationships
Loyalty can pay off when it comes to purchasing heating oil. Many oil delivery services offer various programs to help make the fuel more affordable for their customers. These may include loyalty discounts for long-term customers or a lower per-gallon fuel cost if you schedule regular fill-ups throughout the year. Call your local oil providers and compare program savings to find which is the best option for you.
Tip #2: Order in Advance
Some delivery companies allow you to lock in an oil price. You order your fuel allotment for the winter in late summer or fall, and the price of oil on the day you order is the price you will pay for the entire heating season. Companies allow this because they can accurately judge how much oil they should order while prices are low to supply their customers all year. You are usually allowed to pay the locked-in price until the following spring, but some companies may set a limit on total gallons allowed at the locked-in price.
Tip #3: Maintain Your Furnace
A well-maintained furnace wastes less oil. Make sure filters are changed monthly during the heating season and bring out a furnace tech each fall to give the furnace a complete tune-up. This usually involves cleaning valves and hoses along with checking the internal mechanical workings of the furnace to make sure there are no problems. You may also want the tech to check your ductwork to make sure there are no major leaks causing the loss of hot air and the burning of excess fuel.
Tip #4: Be Prepared
Make sure the gauge on your oil tank is accurate. The oil delivery driver can use a dipstick to check the actual contents of your oil tank against what the gauge reads to make sure it's right. The reason you want it to be accurate is so you don't run out of oil on a weekend or holiday, since this can mean extra fees for an emergency delivery. Always schedule a refill when your tank drops below half full so you won't be caught in the cold with an empty tank.
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25 September 2015
I know it can be difficult to make yourself think about getting your furnace running when the skies are sunny and the temperatures are hovering around 90, but it is the best time for you to think about your heating system. Getting ahead of the winter preparation game will help to save on the cost of the repairs because the need for furnace maintenance is usually at a low during the fall season. This blog will show you what you can do to prepare your furnace for winter and when you should hire a professional HVAC technician to take care of it for you.