Tips for Saving Money On Home Heating Oil Bills

Winter’s here and the dreaded heating season is upon us. It’s the time of year when the local Buildings and heating code enforcement departments get really busy with those “no heat” complaints. The majority of landlords in this area pay the cost to heat the tenant’s unit. So you should really be conscience of what simple things you can do to reduce your expenses.

Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes,etc.

Here are a few really good tips on how to save some money on your home heating oil bills, and they are inexpensive measures that you can take right away.

•  Repair broken or cracked glass and putty old windows; check to see that windows close properly and window locks pull sashes together.

• Make sure doors close properly; repair or replace non-working doorknobs, latches and striker plates.
• Weather-strip windows, doors and attic accesses; caulk the frames around windows and doors from the inside using a clear, pliable caulk.
• If you have a fireplace, be sure the damper is closed when the fireplace is not in use.
• Caulk foundation cracks and openings.  Make sure kitchen and bathroom vent dampers close properly.
• Install low flow showerheads and faucet aerators to save energy and water.
• Reduce your hot water heater temperature to 120 degrees.
• Repair leaking hot water faucets, tanks and pipes.  A faucet that leaks one drop of water each second wastes 200 gallons of water a month.
• Insulate water pipes.  This will prevent the pipes from freezing and will save money on hot water heating costs.
• Have your heating system checked and cleaned regularly by a heating oil professional for fuel efficiency.
• Install automatic setback thermostats that adjust the heat to your schedule.
• Insulate attics (especially attics with less than seven inches of insulation), walls and flooring over unheated crawl spaces or basements.
• Install exterior storm windows, including cellar storm window.  For windows that are rarely opened, consider installing interior storm windows.
• If you plan to replace your present oil or gas heating system, select a high efficiency “Energy Star” rated unit. Units that are too large for the space being heated also result in a considerable waste of money.
• Replace standard curtains with tight sealing, insulated or quilted window coverings.  

Note: If you have low income tenants, your property may be eligible for Weatherization Services. Check out this               

          page: Resources For Landlords to see if your property is eligible.

Visit www.westchestergov.com where this article was extracted from. There is a wealth of information there for Westchester consumers including great information on energy conservation HEAP, Esco’s, and Home Heating Oil prices in the Consumer’s Department.