Fall Seasonal Home Heating Checklist
14 Ways to Prepare for the Winter Season Ahead
Don’t wait until the first frost to get a jump on your seasonal to-do’s! Here are a few easy preparations you can take care of now to pave the way for a warm and comfortable winter:
- Schedule a heating system tune-up. It ensures your system is running at peak efficiency—which can lower heating costs by as much as 10%. It also helps prevent breakdowns. Have a service contract with us? A tune-up is included in your plan!
- Don’t have a service contract? In addition to seasonal maintenance, you’ll enjoy priority service, plus 20% off repairs and diagnostics, no overtime fees, and more.
- Schedule fuel deliveries. Make sure you have a full supply of heating oil or propane, so you aren’t caught short—or left in the cold—when there’s an early cold snap.
- Sign up for automatic deliveries. This free service eliminates the need to call for deliveries and makes runouts a thing of the past.
- Keep fuel bills manageable. Call us for information on our monthly budget plan and other program options. Also, adding a wireless tank monitor to your home’s fuel tank can even better prevent a costly runout that could add to your monthly expenses.
- Check your oil-tank inspection records. If it’s been more than three years since your last inspection, give us a call. Our certified team of service technicians can assure your tank is in good health and ready for the seasons ahead.
- Get ready for the holidays. We make it easy for you to add cozy charm and ambiance with a propane-powered gas log set or fireplace insert. Enjoy all the benefits of a wood fire with none of the hassle or mess.
- Eliminate drafts. Unless you live in a brand-new home, it’s likely that as much as a third of the air in your home escapes via drafts around windows and doors. That’s like throwing money right out the window. A weekend of DIY projects such as sealing up drafts with caulking, weatherstripping, and expanding foam, can help save you 20% or more on home heating costs during the winter season.
- Test your carbon monoxide detectors. With windows shut tight and the heat on, winter is the most dangerous time when it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and change batteries if needed. Smoke detector batteries too!
- Is your tank aboveground? Be sure the path to your fill pipe is free of debris and branches and remember to always clear a path (about a foot wide) after a snowfall so our team can access your tank(s) safely.
- Is your tank underground? Marking its location with a pole topped with a bright-colored flag or wide ribbon makes it visible over snowbanks and drifts.
- Master your programable thermostat. When used correctly, a programmable thermostat can help you lower your heating costs by 10% or more. To maximize your savings, follow these easy steps: When you’re at home and awake, set the thermostat to 68°. Lower temperature setting by 10° for the hours you’re asleep or out of the house.
- Turn down your water heater. Most water heaters have a default setting of 140° which is not only dangerous, it’s also inefficient. Reducing the temperature setting to 120° will meet all your hot water needs and save as much as 10% in heating costs. When you consider that heating water—for bathing, dishwashing, laundry, and more—accounts for close to 20% of your heating costs, you may want to talk to us about upgrading your water heater to a high-efficiency model that can help you save even more.
- Take advantage of solar power. We’re not talking about expensive solar panels. We’re talking about the free heat from the sun. Leaving curtains and blinds open during the day lets the sun warm your rooms. Closing them at night helps keep the heat in. It can warm your rooms enough that you can lower your thermostat and use your boiler or furnace less.
Need Heating Oil, Propane, or Heating System Services? Call Dorr!
The professionals at Dorr Oil & Propane have the knowledge, experience, and resources to answer all your questions about keeping your family warm while managing heating costs.
Get in touch with us today to learn more.
