Energy-Saving Tips

Conserve energy—and save money—with these helpful tips!

Heating your home with heating oil allows for many ways to save both energy and money, starting with the easy tips listed below. Local oilheat dealers throughout the state are committed to maximizing energy efficiency, so contact yours with any questions!

10 Tips for Saving Energy at Home

Try these energy-saving tips for winter and heating energy saving tips in your Maine home.

1. Vacuum baseboard heating units so they transfer heat to living space more efficiently.
2. Let heat flow freely by removing obstructions to baseboards, radiators and floor vents. Make sure armchairs, couches, drapes or bookshelves are not blocking heat sources.
3. Keep rugs away from baseboards, too, so air can pass through the bottom of the baseboard and force warm air out the top.
4. Keep closet doors closed. Your clothes don’t need to be room temperature!
5. In the winter, close curtains and shades at night to trap heat inside. During the day, open them to let heat from the sun in.
6. Frequently clean windows on the south side of your house to maximize solar gain.
7. Set ceiling fans to rotate in a clockwise direction to push heat down.
8. Set your water heater thermostat to 120°F.
9. Wash clothes in cold water whenever you can. 
10. Get in and out fast. Every time you open your front door, the air from outside rushes in. Be quick! And make sure you have your car keys so you don’t have to come and go twice.

6 Ways to Reduce Your Bill

Cut back on your fuel bill by following these tips in your home.

1. Schedule a furnace tune-up. Experts agree that the most effective way to get the most from your heating oil system is to have it maintained and tuned once a year. Improving the efficiency of your heating system by just a couple of percentage points can bring dramatic energy-cost savings. And with ultra-low-sulfur heating oil or Bioheat® fuel, the efficiency—and savings—will be even higher!
2. Seal cold air out of outlets, switches, and junction boxes on outer walls with cans of spray foam-insulation. You can find this at your local hardware store.
3. Insulate pipes on or near outer walls with foam-rubber pipe insulation.
4. Add thermal window quilts in the winter. These thick fabric shades can help keep your home warmer by adding another layer of “dead air” in window casings, keeping cold air out.
5. Check and clean the air filters in your heating system. They may need to be replaced every month; Energy Star recommends at least every three months. If your air filters are not replaceable, be sure to clean them regularly.
6. Plug leaks around doors with weather stripping. A 1/8-inch gap at the bottom of the average door is like as having a hole in the wall the size of a half-dollar coin. This is a prime spot for cold air to travel through.

The heating oil industry in Maine is always looking for ways to improve as we move toward a carbon-neutral future, and your local dealers want to help you save as much energy and money as possible throughout the year! Learn more about what oilheat dealers throughout Maine are doing every day.