Home Efficiency Checklist For Spring

With the coronavirus keeping us home more than usual in the coming weeks, ensuring that your home and home comfort systems run efficiently and reliably is more important than ever. Here’s a checklist to help you plan what needs to be done to stay comfortable and keep bills as low as possible as we transition between seasons.

Efficiency checklist – Spring 2020

Thermostat

• Set your thermostat at 68 degrees in heat mode when people are home for the best balance of comfort and energy savings; lower the temperature when no one is home, or when people are sleeping to maximize savings. Once cooling season arrives, target a thermostat setting of 78 degrees, raising temperatures when people are home.

Doors

• When using your heating or cooling equipment, keep doors closed between conditioned and unconditioned spaces; check and replace seals around interior doors to keep conditioned air from escaping
• Check door sweeps to make sure they are blocking drafts and keeping conditioned air inside your home.

Vents

• When using your HVAC system, close vents in unused rooms
• Keep vents clear of obstructions to ensure good airflow
• Clean your vents with soap and water and a microfiber cloth to improve indoor air quality and reduce dust
• Check your HVAC filter once a month, changing or cleaning it as necessary

Windows

• Check and refresh caulking to prevent conditioned air from escaping
• Clear window tracks so windows seal properly
• Consider using window treatments such as insulated treatments in cooler weather and reflective treatments during the hotter months. Learn more about efficiency-enhancing window hacks here.

Heating system

• If you need a new oil heating system, consider installing it early in the season; early spring is often the best time to invest in a home heating system, since manufacturers usually offer great off-season incentives and convenient installation appointment times are more readily available.
• Schedule heating service to ensure reliable operation

Cooling system

• Schedule your annual tune-up to avoid the late springtime rush

Water Heater

• Consider resetting the temperature of the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees (default settings are often 140 degrees) to get the best balance of comfort and energy savings; for every 10 degrees you lower the temperature, you’ll save 3-5 percent on your bill, says the DOE. Keep the temperature at 140 degrees if someone in your home suffers from immune deficiency.

Attic

• Bring your installation up to recommended R-values to help stabilize temperatures year-round and reduce air leaks in your home; you can get some guidance on where and how much insulation to install here.

Alarms

• Test all alarms – smoke, CO, radon detectors, etc., replacing batteries if needed

Fireplace / Wood Stove

• Close the damper to prevent heat from entering through the chimney
• Schedule a chimney inspection to prevent hazards related to creosote buildup

If you need to have your heating oil-fired equipment serviced or replaced during this challenging time, Vaughn Oil is here for you. We follow the strictest standards for coronavirus safety and will make sure your family continues to be safe and comfortable as we transition to the warmer weather of spring. Contact us today to learn more about heating oil service in Rhode Island.