Saving On Home Energy While On Vacation? You Bet!

Planning to get away this spring? Why not give your wallet (and your heating equipment) a break while you’re soaking up the sun? With a little planning, you can save some money at home so you’ll have more to spend on the road.

Here are six things you can do to save money at home while you’re on vacation:

1. Shut all lights, fans, etc. – Turn off all non-essential appliances. If you want to give passersby the illusion that someone is home, program your lamps using a timer.
2. Contact us if you’re an automatic delivery customer – If you are an automatic heating oil delivery customer, let us know if you’re planning to leave town for a week or more. Your delivery date is based on an estimate of your past heating oil use – if you aren’t around using heating oil, that estimate will be off, and you could get an unnecessary delivery visit.
3. Turn down (but not off) the heat – Turn down your thermostat to 55 degrees, but don’t turn it completely off to avoid a build-up of potentially mold-forming condensation in your home. Also, make sure your thermostat is set for “auto” rather than “on” to prevent your blower fan from running 24/7.
4. Turn off your water heater – If you have an electric water heater, shut it down at the breaker so it’s not keeping your reserve hot water warm when you don’t need it.
5. Keep your fridge stocked with non-perishables – A full refrigerator is more energy-efficient than a half-empty one, so resist the urge to dump non-perishables when you leave town.
6. Unplug the energy suckers – Any appliance or device with a light on it draws current, even if the power is “off.” These devices are often called energy “vampires,” and they cost you money when you’re away from home. Unplug anything with a light on it, including your TV, media players, cable boxes, computers, ovens, microwaves, and other appliances. If you use a smart strip, power that off, too.

Ready for spring break? So is heating equipment. Beat the crowds and schedule your annual heating maintenance before you escape from NJ! If you haven’t scheduled your air conditioning maintenance for the coming year, we can take care of that, too – contact us today to learn more.