The Importance of Properly Functioning Oil and Heating in Winter

With winter almost upon us, now is as good a time as any to ensure that every component of your home’s heating system is working properly. That heating system and the oil that feeds it are incredibly important, kicking in whenever the temperature dips in your home and running nearly constantly throughout the coldest weeks of January and February. If a cold snap sets in and your heating system is not ready for it, it could mean a lot of cold, uncomfortable nights.

How to Prepare for Winter Weather

Your heating oil company works closely with homeowners throughout the region to keep everyone’s heating system running at peak efficiency year round. That means filling the oil tank early and keeping it full based on projected consumption rates in cold winter months, following up regularly to ensure that the heating system is working at peak efficiency and ensuring the system is well maintained on an annual basis and fixed fast if a problem ever develops.

A good heating oil company, especially in New Jersey, will work closely with each homeowner that hires them to keep that heating system running properly at all times. Here are some of the things that you should have done, if you have not yet, before the winter chill sets in:

*  Full Tune Up of Your Boiler or Furnace

*  Oil Tank Filled Up for Winter

*  Full Inspection and Cleaning of Your Chimney Flue

*  Inspection and Cleaning of Your Ducts or Radiators

*  Testing of Thermostats throughout Your Home

You may even consider an upgrade to your heating system if you have needed frequent repairs in recent years or if you are interested in reducing how much oil you consume to heat your home. Newer systems are incredibly efficient, offering AFUE ratings of as high as 92% for both furnace and boiler heating. You can improve your heating efficiency with other upgrades as well, including new insulation, weather stripping and sealing for windows and doors and installation of digital thermostats that can be programmed to only heat your home when it is needed.

Take Action Now for a Comfortable Winter

Winter is a long stretch of cold weather and if you’re not ready for it, your oil company may not be immediately available, especially after a winter storm. So, the best way to ensure you remain comfortable throughout the entire winter and that no one in your family is subjected to the intense cold of a strong New Jersey winter is to call your heating oil company and schedule a time to have someone visit, inspect your system and fill your oil tank.

Winter is Coming and with it Cold Temperatures

November has come and December is just around the corner, which means we have only a few more weeks (if that) until truly cold temperatures set in. If you aren’t yet, it’s time to start thinking about what winter will bring and what impact it will have on the heating oil in your home and which heating oil company you hire to deliver this year.

How Cold is Cold?

Every year, as fall starts to stretch on and the first snows of winter are in the air, we ask ourselves (and the weather people on TV) just how cold it’s going to get. It’s impossible to know for sure, but living in New Jersey, you can just about count on it being below freezing for days if not weeks at a time starting in late December and January.

Whether we get a lot of snow or not is yet to be seen, but that doesn’t mean the frigid temperatures won’t keep you inside and ensure you need a full talk of heating oil at all times. The average lows in January in most of New Jersey are in the low 20’s and sometimes into the teens at night and that means you need not only a good heating system but one that is well-maintained and ready for any level of cold.

Preparing for the Winter Chill

The best thing you can do in preparing for the winter chill that is coming is to call your heating oil company and have them come and inspect your boiler or furnace. While it is impossible to know how much stress will be put on your heating system, the only real way to be sure it works as intended all year is to have it maintained in advance. While it is past the preventive maintenance window for most heating oil companies, you can still get a professional to visit and take a look at your system, checking it to ensure it for any possible small problems and cleaning it of any excess dust, debris and soot.

You should also have your chimney flue inspected and cleaned. This not only improves air quality and heating efficiency, but can reduce the risk of fire and possible damage to your heating system by ensuring the exhaust fumes have a clear exit from your home.

Being Ready Pays Off

By taking the time to prepare for the winter temperatures, you can keep your heating system running at peak efficiency and ensure you are ready for just about anything the winter can throw your way. To keep yourself and your family members comfortable throughout winter into spring next March and April, this is a great way to start.