Written on: September 6, 2022
The warmer-than-normal weather of early Fall appears to have ended here in Southwestern Connecticut.
Your home’s heating system is going to be working full-time soon to keep your home warm and comfortable. We have five ways to make sure your heating system will get the job done.
Life gets pretty busy this time of year with all the holiday stuff going on. You might run out of propane or heating oil if you don’t check your fuel tank levels on a regular basis, leaving you without heat in your home. Our Automatic Delivery service uses your fuel usage history and current weather conditions to forecast when you’ll require more fuel, and we schedule a delivery ahead of time so that you have propane before you run out. Getting your heating oil or propane is stress-free!
With Santa Energy’s wireless propane tank monitoring service, there’s no better way to keep track of your propane supply. The monitor uses wireless and cellular technology to follow your propane supply all day, every day! When the level in your propane tank reaches a certain point, it sends us an alert, and we deliver your propane. You can keep track of your propane consumption with a user-friendly app on your smartphone or tablet.
The furnace or boiler in your house should be maintained by a professional service technician on a regular basis to ensure that it is working at peak efficiency. This winter, you may be able to save big on your heating energy expenses thanks to that improved energy efficiency. Before problems or breakdowns occur, your Santa Energy service technician is also able to thoroughly examine your furnace or boiler and make any necessary repairs. An annual maintenance tune-up is included in all of our service plans.
If you have a forced-air furnace, now is the time to clean and vacuum the registers, making sure they are in good working order and do not spread dust or allergens around your home. Remove any obstructions, such as curtains or furniture, and listen for air vents to flow freely. If you haven’t cleaned your ductwork in the last five years, it’s time to do so. Cleaning your ductwork not only keeps the air in your house cleaner and safer, but it will also allow ductwork cleaners to detect and repair leaks to improve your heating system’s energy efficiency.
Do some simple do-it-yourself work with caulk, weatherstripping, and expanding foam to remove drafts from your doors, windows, and external walls. This alone may save you 10% on your heating costs!
Look around outside. Inspect your outdoor fuel tanks for signs of damage or instability on their base. Place a pole with a flag or strip of bright-colored fabric near the tank that’s tall enough to be seen over any piles of snow so your Santa Energy delivery driver can find your tank after a snowstorm. Clear leaves and other debris from around vents and flues.
Programmable and smart thermostats are excellent ways to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. If you don’t already have one, now is a good time to get one because they can assist you save money on your heating bills by 10%. Smart and programmable thermostats are reasonably priced and can be found at your local home improvement store or online. Smart thermostats allow you to check your thermostat settings from your phone wherever you can get a wireless or cellular signal and offer extra features such as alerting you when your HVAC system needs service.
These are the recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy for programming your thermostat in cold weather:
Don’t get stuck with a no-heat emergency! Contact Santa Energy today to schedule your heating system tune-up before winter gets started.