With all the snow and cold we’ve had here in the Seacoast region this winter, you may be worried about your home’s heating bills.
There are things you can do to take control of your heating costs. First, enroll in the P. Gagnon & Son SimplePay Plan, which spreads your propane or heating oil costs over the year into 12 even, easy payments.
If you don’t have one already, we can install a programmable thermostat at your home, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn the heat down when you’re in bed or away from home.
Making sure you get regular, professional maintenance of your furnace or boiler will help it run at its best possible efficiency so you use as little energy as possible in heating your home. Our service plans all include an annual maintenance tune-up of your home’s heating system.
There’s something else you can do that will not only help you save on your home’s heating costs this winter, but in all the winters that follow: Upgrade your home’s insulation.
Many older homes, unless they have been renovated, don’t have adequate insulation by today’s standards. The U.S. Department of Energy has a guide to let you know how much insulation your home should have, breaking the country up into zones. Depending on where you live here, you are either in Zone 5 or Zone 6.
You’ll have to do some detective work, but it’s not that difficult. Here’s what to do.
Check the attic, as well as walls and floors next to an unheated space like a garage or unfinished basement. Very often, structural elements are exposed, and you can measure the depth or thickness of the insulation.
Use electrical outlets on exterior walls to see the insulation behind the walls. First, turn the power off for the outlet. Remove the outlet cover. Use a flashlight to look around the outlet box and into the walls to see the insulation, what kind it is, and how thick it is. Do this on all floors and rooms, as insulation is often not consistent, especially in homes that have been renovated or added onto.
You can also have a professional home energy assessment, which includes inspecting the insulation. The auditor can let you know how much insulation you need, and your options for types of insulation.
Adding insulation not only helps your home stay warm in the winter, it also helps it stay cooler in the summer, so you’ll save on energy costs all year!
Regular heating system maintenance service from P. Gagnon & Son can help you reduce your energy costs. Contact us today to learn more!