| Arrange for automatic delivery to ensure your home always has heating oil. |
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| Don't block the heating vents or radiators with furniture. |
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| Add insulation, feel for air leaks around windows, bathtubs, fireplaces, electrical outlets. Caulk leaks. |
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| Winterize doors, use vinyl-covered foam weather strip to seal up thresholds. |
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| Keep fireplace damper closed when not in use. |
| Install a water-saving showerhead, fix drips. One drip of hot water per second from a leaky faucet will consume the equivalent of 16 baths per year. |
| By consistently reducing your thermostat by just five degrees overnight, you can cut as much as 10% from your fuel bill. |
| To maximize your energy savings without sacrificing comfort, install an automatic setback or programmable thermostat. |
| Indoors - adhere protective film over window, leaving holes so that you can still open and close the blinds. Secure with double-sided tape. |
| Outdoors - install a protective film over the window. |
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| Replace cracked window panes. |
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| Re-glaze window glass (glazing is the putty that seals the glass to the frame). You can use a putty knife or glazing gun. Re-glazing stops air infiltration on the sash itself. You can then install a V-strip to stop any air leakage that would go around the sash (window frame) - This also makes the window easier to operate up and down. |
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| Wood will shrink and cracks will occur as your house gets older. Be sure to inspect at regular intervals for an infiltration. |
| Threshold - is there a gap between the threshold and the door? Use a bottom seal that can be attached to the bottom of the door - it should brush up against the floor to seal up the threshold. It virtually stops drafts. |
| Glass doors on the fireplace will also provide insulation. |
| Caulking is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to weatherize your home. |
| You should caulk where 2 different types of materials meet, i.e. where the window frame meets the wall. |
| Running half or partially full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine wastes energy. Always run full loads. |
| Install fluorescent lighting wherever possible since fluorescent bulbs last 6-10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. |
| Windows on the south side of the house get the most sunlight. Eastern windows get sunlight in the morning. West facing windows receive sunlight in the afternoon. Open shades & drapes . |
