The P. Gagnon & Son Blog

Heating System Use & Home Efficiency Tips

Cut your heating costs by up to 30%!

home efficiency maineWith winter drawing closer, you may be worried about heating costs for your Seacoast Region home.

There ways to cut your heating costs while keeping your home warm and comfortable without having to put on another layer of clothes. We have seven ways to do that.

Take care of your heating system

Your furnace or boiler loses an average of about 5% of its efficiency each year if it is not properly maintained, so make sure to get your furnace or boiler serviced every year. Four out of five heating system breakdowns could be prevented with regular, professional maintenance.

Use a programmable thermostat

Technology gives you a great opportunity to cut your heating costs. Programmable thermostats are the ultimate in set-it-and-forget-it. If you program it properly you can save up to 10% on your heating costs!

Here’s what the U.S. Department of Energy recommends:

  • When you’re home and awake, set the thermostat for 68°F
  • Lower temperatures by 10° for the hours you’re asleep or away from home

Don’t heat unused rooms

Close doors in parts of the house you’re not using frequently, like a guest bedroom. You can also zone your home’s heating and use propane space heaters to heat underheated areas without having to crank up the thermostat for the whole house.

Keep the heat in your home

Did you know that around 15% of the air you pay to heat escapes through holes in walls, roofs, windows, flooring, and electrical outlet boxes in your home? To prevent your heating system from using more energy to make up for that lost heat, install recommended insulation and do some DIY work with caulk, weatherstripping and expandable foam to get rid of drafts.

Think about upgrading your heating system

Even a well-maintained furnace or boiler can’t compete with today’s high-efficiency heating equipment when it comes to keeping you warm for less money. In fact, when you replace your old heating system with a newer model, you may save as much as 30% on your heating costs. You’ll get a return on your investment from the moment it’s turned on!

Let the sun heat your home

To capture free solar heat, leave the windows exposed during the day and then cover them at night with opaque, energy-saving drapes to retain that heat.

P. Gagnon & Son will get you through the winter with reliable propane and heating oil delivery and quality heating system services. Become a customer today!