Savings Tips
Get the most out of your energy purchase.
Try these strategies for reducing fuel consumption year round.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Heat or cool your house less when you are not present, and set it to re-adjust before you get home...you'll still be comfortable, but you'll use less fuel.
- Consider a high-efficiency water heater such as an indirect oil-fired unit. These fast-working units heat water only when you need it, such as in the morning. During low-demand times, you don't spend fuel keeping water warm.
- Experiment with different cleansers for your clothes and dishes...you may be able to use less hot water and still get them sparkling clean. Low-volume, high-efficiency washers also use less water even at the same temperature.
- For propane-stove users: Keep your oven door closed to keep heat from escaping. (You'll get more even heating for your cookies or lasagna, too.) Use the oven light or a timer to check on the progress of your cooking.
- Check around windows, doors, electrical outlets and vents for air leaks, and correct with caulk or draft-stoppers as needed. Check glass for cracks, too, and repair any damaged weather-stripping. Remember, air-conditioned air can leak out of your house in summer, too.
- Insulate your ceiling (at least 6" of pink fiberglass or equivalent) and wrap pipes in insulation to avoid heat loss.
- Check your chimney! Make sure it's cleaned, and that the damper fits snugly. Remember to close the damper or flue after using the fireplace.
- Get a heating system tune-up before the weather turns cold. Even a slight loss in efficiency can force the system to burn extra fuel.
- Keep the coils of your air conditioner free of dirt. Dirt acts like an insulator, which keeps the system from cooling the air efficiently. Make sure to change your filter, too: it saves energy and extends the unit's life.
- Consider grilling in the summertime instead of cooking indoors. It's fun, and it keeps the heat outside where it belongs.
- Get your house in the shade: Draw the blinds during hot, sunny days to reduce "greenhouse effect" inside the house. Awnings are very effective for passive cooling.
Beckett Heat Manager™
Buderus Logamatic Control
Buderus Logamatic controls monitor both indoor and outdoor temperature and accordingly adjusts boiler temperature to actual demand. Lower operating water temperature decreases cool-down and flue gas losses which translate into lower energy consumption and fuel bills.
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