Even if you are diligent in monitoring your home’s energy use, chances are some improvements can still be made. Here are a few things you might not know about reducing your home’s overall energy consumption:

• If you place any lamps or electronic devices near your air conditioner, the unit will run longer than necessary as it will sense the warmth from those items. Set your air conditioner apart from anything in the room that produces heat to save energy.
• Running your air conditioner at 78 degrees instead of 72 can reduce your monthly bill anywhere from 6 to 18 percent. The smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor air, the lower the cooling bill will be; set the thermostat as high as possible.
• You should use a ceiling fan in addition to the air conditioner. A ceiling fan will allow you to raise the temperature of the air conditioner around 4 degrees without reducing comfort levels. Just be sure to turn the ceiling fans off when you leave a room.
• Households lose an average of 20 percent of their heated and cooled air through the duct system. To avoid wasting this energy and money, your duct systems should be inspected by a professional to ensure they are properly sealed and insulated.
• Heating up water accounts for about a quarter of all household energy consumed. Turn down the temperature of the water heater to a warm setting (120 degrees) to both costs and avoid a surprise scalding from an early morning shower.
• Lighting up a home makes up 10 percent of annual energy costs. To cut back on these expenses, simply switch out any incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs. This simple change can reduce your energy expenses by as much as 75 percent.

Fill up your heating oil tank, even if you are not using it this spring and summer. This will prevent condensation from building and corroding the interior of the tank. This condensed water can also result in the growth of bacteria and the formation of sludge in the tank. Contact us online or over the phone at (508) 756-2461 to schedule an appointment.