There’s nothing more frustrating than your heating system breaking down right when you need it the most. Since it functions continuously behind the scenes, it’s one of those things that often goes unnoticed until there’s a problem — a really noticeable one.
Luckily for you, saving money on fuel and properly maintaining equipment are our area of expertise. Here are some tips that may seem obvious at first glance, but that a surprising amount of homeowners actually don’t take advantage of.
1. Keep An Eye on Fuel Prices
Higher temperatures mean high supply and low demand for the heating oil and propane used to warm your home. Be on the lookout for lower-than-average prices on hotter days and throughout the spring and summer.
2. Schedule Your Heating Tune-Up Ahead of Time
Having your A/C break down in the middle of the summer sucks, but having your heat stop working in the dead of winter can be life-threatening.
Schedule a heating tune-up before the fall and winter rush to make sure your equipment is in proper working condition, and ready to keep you safe and warm all winter without any unexpected breakdowns or repair expenses.
3. Plan Your Winter Heating Budget
Don’t let lower energy bills during the spring and summer lull you into a false sense of security — you could be in for for exponentially higher energy bills as the temperature begins to drop into the fall and winter.
If you’re not already on our budget billing plan, sign up to make the same payment each month instead of paying a little now, and a whole lot later. (Our budget billing enrollment period is generally open May – September)
4. Invest in Backup Power Now, BEFORE You Need It
Like with your heating system, you don’t realize how important your power supply is until it’s interrupted. We often don’t plan ahead for power outages until a severe storm is right on our doorstep.
Take advantage of the calm by investing in a home power backup generator now, so you can rest easy knowing your power (and your heat!) is safe when the clouds start to roll in.
5. Switch to Automatic Delivery
While you may not need to stay on top of your heating oil or propane refills as much during the spring and summer, leaves will begin to fall and your delivery frequency will pick up before you know it.
Consider switching to automatic heating oil or monitored propane delivery before that happens, so you can save money and have one less recurring appointment to worry about later.
Maintaining your home heating equipment and preparing for the upcoming cold weather season seems like a no-brainer, but remembering to stay on top of it can be difficult when everything is running so smoothly you forget it even exists. Think of these tips as a friendly reminder to prepare yourself and your home as best you can before any urgent issues arise.
Still have questions? Give us a call anytime.