A warm home in the middle of a cold Maryland winter is a wonderful thing. When you walk in from outside where ice, snow, and wind keeps you chilled, you’re immediately greeted with friendly warmth.
An oil heating system can keep your home toasty warm all winter long. But there are some things you should do to ensure you’re getting the most out of your system. Here are a few actions to consider this winter:
Inspect Your Oil Heat System
The first step in having an effective oil heating system is making sure it’s working properly. In preparation for the cold weather ahead, call an HVAC maintenance professional to look over your system and make tune-ups where necessary. This simple step can help prevent costly fixes later on.
Review Your Insulation
One key aspect of making the most of your oil heating system is ensuring the heat you generate actually stays in your home. Poor insulation, improperly sealing windows and doors, and gaps in the wall where tubes and pipes run outdoors are common culprits of lost heat.
Start with the areas where piping to your heating system are positioned through exterior walls. If there are gaps where you can feel a slight breeze, use caulking to seal them off.
Next, check out windows and doors. The thresholds should be flush with your doors to prevent the escape of heat or the entrance of wind or snow. The panels around your windows likewise shouldn’t let any breeze enter your home. If your windows or doors are aging, they may be less effective. Winterizing them with protective plastic film can keep the warm air in this winter.
Finally, inspect the insulation. If there are cold or drafty spots in your home, deteriorating insulation could be the culprit. It would be wise to consider updating it.
Seal Any Egresses You Haven’t Thought Of
Your fireplace, heating system vents and kitchen vents are all areas where cold air can seep in and warm air can escape. When reviewing your windows and doors, don’t forget about these important areas. Make sure they’re shut to prevent heat loss, and check that they sufficiently close. If they don’t close all the way, make any necessary adjustments.
Turn Down The Thermostat
It’s easy to crank up the heat when you’re feeling chilled, but remember there’s more than one way to warm up. Here are just a handful of ways to stay warm without turning up the thermostat:
- Wear sweaters and socks while you’re at home.
- Open up the shades during the day to let warming sunlight enter your home.
- Turn the ceiling fan on to push warm air down.
With that said, never let your home get too cold – you could risk allowing the pipes to freeze which can be devastating to repair. It’s a good idea to keep your thermostat at least in the mid-50s throughout the winter, even when you’re not around.
Buy Heating Oil Early
To keep your heating system running all winter long, you’ll need enough oil to last throughout the season. Schedule your heating oil delivery early on in the season to beat the rush and to make sure you have enough stocked up to last.
That said, it’s a good idea to check on heating oil prices. The goal is to buy them when they’re least expensive to save you money in the long run. This might mean waiting a week or two for a more opportune time to purchase.
Is it time to restock your next heating oil supply? Get in touch with SMO Energy to arrange your next oil delivery.