Heating oil bills can be a significant expense for American homeowners living in colder regions of the country. However, a lot of households are paying excessive amounts simply because they aren't aware of the reasons why their heating oil costs are higher than they need to be.
The following are six reasons why your home heating oil costs are more expensive than the should be. By being aware of these issues, you can correct them and save more money on heating oil costs this winter.
You're not taking advantage of sunlight.
Sunshine coming in through your windows can supplement the heating effects offered by the heating oil your furnace is burning.
Taking advantage of natural sunlight by letting it shine in through your windows and heating your home's interiors is a good way to increase temperatures in your home without consuming any oil at all.
You're not taking advantage of a fixed price contract or pre-buy program.
Many heating oil suppliers will provide discounts to those who sign on to a fixed price contract or a pre-buy program.
If oil prices are particularly low early on in the winter, you may be able to take advantage of them for the rest of the winter with a fixed price contract that will allow you to buy oil at the same price all winter. Also, a pre-buy program allows you to make an advanced purchase on the oil you'll need at a discounted price.
Your furnace is not properly maintained.
A furnace needs to be regularly maintained to remain efficient over time. Periodic tune-up tasks that are important for oil-burning furnaces including switching out air filters and cleaning out vents.
Your thermostat isn't programmable.
With a programmable thermostat, you can optimize oil usage in your furnace. You can program your thermostat to increase or lower the temperature in your home depending on the weather conditions outside. You can also make changes to your thermostat remotely when you're not at home.
Your furnace is too old.
Older oil-burning furnaces aren't as efficient as more modern furnaces. Also, oil-burning furnaces naturally lose their efficiency as they age. Therefore, your furnace might be burning more heating oil than it should simply because of age and wear and tear.
As a general rule, you should replace your furnace every 15 years. When you do replace your furnace, choose an efficient model that will optimize your home's heating oil consumption.
You're keeping your thermostat temperature up too high.
Consider turning your thermostat down a little if you're going through a lot of heating oil. Dress warmer and get used to cooler temperatures in your home to reduce both oil consumption and wear on your furnace.
For more information, reach out to a company like Oil Depot Inc today.