Is your home winter-ready? When the weather turns cold there are certain maintenance steps you should take to protect your home from the effects of winter weather. From refilling your heating oil to protecting your pipes, here are 7 winter tips for your home. 

Refill your Heating Oil or Propane Tank

If your home runs on heating oil or propane, your tank will need to be refilled from time to time. Do you know if you have enough fuel in your tank to get through the winter? Don’t wait until you run out to call for a refill. Call your supplier of heating oil in Burlington for a delivery sooner than later. 

Check Your Heating System

Whatever type of heating system you have, whether it’s a furnace, heat pump, radiator, or any other type, it needs to be inspected and tuned up yearly. Schedule maintenance with your HVAC company or heating oil supplier in Burlington to ensure your heating system is operating properly and efficiently. A well-maintained heating system saves you energy and money. 

Inspect/Add Insulation

Check the insulation in your home, especially in the attic and unheated spaces in your home. Those are the places where cold air may leak in and warm air may leak out when insulation is insufficient. Add insulation where needed and consider upgrading to better quality insulation if you feel certain areas of your home are drafty. 

Seal Cracks

Another problem that can be indicated by draftiness is cracks in the walls or around windows and door frames. If you notice that your home is colder near windows and doors, they may need to be sealed. Add or replace weather stripping if what’s there is worn or insufficient. 

Get a Generator/Inspect your Generator

Winter weather can often cause power outages. Consider getting a propane or gas generator to power certain electrical appliances such as your refrigerator when the power goes out. If you already have a generator, test it to make sure it works or have it inspected to ensure it will operate properly when you need it to. 

Clean/Inspect your Fireplace and Chimney

If you use your fireplace, whether, with wood or gas logs, it’s important to maintain both the fireplace and chimney. Wood burning fireplaces need to be cleaned out and the chimney needs to be swept yearly. Gas log fireplaces need to have the logs themselves and the ventilation inspected. </span

Prep your Plumbing

In extremely cold weather water can freeze in your pipes and cause them to burst. One way to avoid this is to allow your faucets to drip when the weather is extremely cold. A better solution is to insulate your pipes to prevent freezing, which conserves water. Newer homes are usually designed so that the plumbing is in the internal walls rather than external walls so to keep pipes warm. 

Alamance Oil Can Help You Get Prepared for Winter

Many of the tips above can be handled by the experts at Alamance Oil. When you need a heating system tune-up, fireplace maintenance, generator inspection, or other home comfort services, Alamance Oil is ready to help. Call (336) 226-9371 today to make a service appointment today or request service here. 

Is your propane furnace ready for winter? When the weather turns cold you want to be sure you can count on your furnace to keep you warm. Getting stuck without heat on a cold winter day is an experience you won’t soon forget. Want to avoid such unpleasantness? Here are 6 winter readiness tips from your propane supplier in Reidsville. 

Have your tank refilled

Don’t wait for your tank to run low or run out on a cold winter day. The coldest days will have your propane supplier in Reidsville as busy as possible, so you may have to wait for a while in the cold. And running out of propane completely can cause problems with your tank and gas lines that will require extra procedures to be done. Be prepared by getting your tank refilled early. 

Have your tank inspected

Propane tanks can rust and deteriorate over time, which can cause problems with your home heat and pose a safety hazard. Whenever you have your tank refilled, your supplier should inspect your tank for any signs of damage. 

Have your furnace inspected, cleaned, and tuned up

Yearly maintenance for your furnace ensures that it is in good working order and that it is operating at peak efficiency. The best time for a furnace tuneup is late summer or early fall, but even into the winter is still fine, and better than not at all. You can avoid heating problems and save some money by making furnace maintenance a priority. 

Change your filters

At the very least you should change your filters twice a year when you switch from AC to heat and vice versa. Changing them quarterly is even better for your system and can keep more dust and dirt out of your ducts. Most HVAC companies will replace your filters as part of your regular maintenance appointments. 

Upgrade to a programmable thermostat

Now is a good time to switch to programmable thermostats. Save energy and money by setting your thermostat to automatically adjust your indoor temperature based on the time of day. When no one is home or at night while everyone is under the covers it isn’t necessary to have the heat set as high as you do during other times of the day. 

Check your insulation

Is your home’s insulation sufficient? It’s important to inspect insulation occasionally for deterioration and for cracks or gaps that may be letting in outside air. You may want to add insulation to your home and weather stripping around door frames. Seal up any cracks or gaps you find where cold air could be seeping in and lowering the efficiency of your furnace. 

Carolina Fuels Can Help Make Sure Your Furnace is Ready for Winter

Are you looking for a propane supplier in Reidsville that can not only fill up your tank but tune-up your furnace as well? Call Carolina Fuels at (336) 623-9741 to schedule a winter readiness check-up for your propane furnace and tank. The sooner you do so the better to avoid paying too much for home heat this winter. 

Are you a propane customer in Greensboro, NC? Whether you already use propane, are thinking of switching to propane, or you have become a propane customer due to moving into a new home – it’s important to have the right size tank. Here are 5 reasons why the size of your propane tank matters. 

Vaporization

Propane exists as a liquid in tanks until it is boiled and turns into a gas. This process is called vaporization. In order for vaporization to take place, there must be enough propane in a large enough tank. A small tank, such as a cylinder, will not be able to fuel a residential furnace. A home using propane for heat will need a tank that is at least 500 gallons. 

Efficiency

A tank that is too small will require refills too frequently, causing your energy costs to rise. A tank that is too big will cost more to refill when you may not need that much propane. Having the right size tank for the average projected use of propane is as efficient as you can possibly be. 

Size of your home

When using propane for home heat, the size of your home will dictate the size of the tank you need. If your tank is too small for the square footage of your home, you’ll run out of propane too soon. If you have a tank that is bigger than what you need you’ll pay too much for refills. And if your refills are few and far between, your propane tank’s condition could deteriorate without you being aware of it and without your supplier inspecting it during regular refills. 

Household usage

It’s important to take every propane appliance into account when calculating household propane usage. Furnace, stove/oven range, water heater, generators, clothes dryers, and anything else that uses propane will need to be entered into the calculations. You’ll need a tank that is big enough to supply energy for all of your household appliances. 

Commercial usage

Besides residential, commercial propane use also requires the right size tank. With such a wide variety of commercial uses for propane, it can be complicated to determine what sizes of tanks your business may need. From small cylinders to 1,000-gallon tanks, you may need a combination of tank sizes for different applications. Some may need to be easily portable, others not. 

Not Sure What Size Tank You Need for your Propane in Greensboro, NC?

Berico can help. Berico has been supplying propane in Greensboro, NC since 1924. Using experience and precise calculations it can be easily determined what size tank you’ll need for your home or business. Save money and increase efficiency with a tank that will hold enough propane to get you through without excessive refills. 

Thinking of switching suppliers? Berico offers free tank swap-outs for new customers, making switching easy. Call (336) 273-8663 today to speak with a Berico representative about propane tank sizes and how to save money with automatic deliveries. 

As the weather begins to change and you contemplate whether or not to turn on the heat on that first cold night, you may be hesitant for a good reason. No one wants to start paying to heat their home unless they have to. Heating energy can be costly. 

However, there are ways to reduce your energy bill, and some of them can be done simply by making some adjustments to your thermostat. Carolina Fuels, your Reidsville furnace repair service, wants you to be aware of these 4 thermostat tips and tricks that can help keep your heating costs lower this winter. 

Adjust the temperature when you’re away

Why heat an empty house? Consider turning the thermostat down when everyone’s going to be at work or school. It’s especially helpful if you’ll be gone for a few days or more to turn down the thermostat and save some energy.

Some people even prefer to sleep in cooler temperatures and just snuggle up under the covers, making it possible to turn the thermostat down a few degrees overnight. 

Install a programmable thermostat

Don’t want the hassle of turning the thermostat up and down all the time? Is it hard to remember to do so? Consider installing a programmable thermostat in your home. A programmable thermostat allows you to set specific temperatures for specific times of the day. The thermostat keeps the time and adjusts itself accordingly, so you don’t have to. Your Reidsville furnace repair company, Carolina Fuels, can install your programmable thermostat and teach you how to use it. 

Consider changing the location of your thermostat

You’ve probably never given much thought to the location of the thermostat in your home, but it can have a major effect on your home’s energy usage. A thermostat near a door that opens frequently can misinterpret the temperature and overheat your house. Try relocating your thermostat to a more central location away from doors and windows for a more accurate reading. If moving the thermostat isn’t an option, make your desired temperature a few degrees lower.

Implement zone heating in your home

 Does the upstairs always feel warmer than downstairs in your home? Do you prefer your bedrooms to be cooler than your main living areas? Zone heating allows you to set different temperatures for different areas of your home. Common configurations for zone heating are an upstairs and a downstairs zone. Other arrangements are possible as well, like bedrooms and living area zones. Each zone has it’s own thermostat for optimal temperature control.

Reduce your Heating Costs with Reidsville Furnace Repair

One of the best ways to keep heating costs low is to schedule preventive maintenance with your Reidsville furnace repair service. Routine maintenance at the start of the heating season will ensure your furnace is operating efficiently, which can reduce energy usage and cost. It can also help you avoid unexpected furnace problems once the cold weather sets in. 

Call Carolina Fuels today at (336) 623-9741 to discuss thermostat options and schedule furnace maintenance or request service here. 

Have you been giving some thought to the type of heating fuel you use? Whether you’re considering replacing your furnace, switching fuels or your house hunting – you need a basic comparison of the available heating fuels in Burlington. This article will compare the pros and cons of 4 different types of heating fuels. 

Propane

Pros: 

• Efficient. Propane burns very hot, which means it is capable of creating a lot of heat with a small amount of fuel. 
• Comfortable. Propane creates a warm, radiant heat that lasts, making your home feel cozy. 
• Versatile. Propane can do more than just heat your home. It can be used for cooking, drying clothes, grilling, heating water, and more. 
• Accessible. Propane can be delivered anywhere, even to rural areas where natural gas may not be available. 
• Works without electricity. If the power goes out you still have heat and any other appliance that runs on propane. 
• Burns clean. Propane won’t harm the environment from emissions or spills. 

Cons: 

• Prices fluctuate. However, many suppliers offer price protection plans to reduce this risk. 
• Periodic refills are necessary. Most suppliers offer automatic refills to ensure you never run out. 

Heating Oil

Pros:

• Efficient. Heating oil is one of the most efficient heating fuels as is the most efficient of the liquid heating fuels. 
• Comfortable. Like propane, heating oil provides a radiant heat that lingers and makes your home cozy.
• Accessible. Like propane, heating oil can be delivered anywhere.
• Works without electricity. Even when the power goes out, your oil furnace will keep your home warm. 
• Burns clean.

Cons:

• Although oil burns clean, it produces more carbon monoxide than propane. 
• Oil prices tend to be more volatile, but suppliers may offer price protection plans to alleviate this. 
• Old oil tanks are prone to leaks. 

Natural Gas

Pros:

• Affordable. Natural gas is known as one of the most affordable heating fuels.
• Constant supply. Natural gas is available as long as the natural resource holds out. There’s no tank, no refills, and no danger of running out. 
• Common. You’re much more likely to find homes with natural gas heating, especially newer homes.

Cons: 

• Not available everywhere. Rural areas do not always have access to natural gas resources. 
• Not as comfortable. It’s more of an opinion, but it is said that natural gas doesn’t feel as warm as propane or oil and the warmth doesn’t linger as long. 

Electricity 

Pros:

• Efficient when used in conjunction with a heat pump. In milder climates, a heat pump uses electricity to transfer heat, which is extremely efficient. 
• Ductless electric heating systems are convenient. You can place individual heaters in each room for customizable comfort throughout your home. 

Cons: 

• Expensive. As far as affordability goes, electricity is low on the list. 
• When the power goes out, so does the heat. 

Still Trying to Decide Between Heating Fuels in Burlington?

If you’re still not sure after reading this comparison, call Alamance Oil and speak with a representative who can help you decide between heating fuels in Burlington. Alamance Oil supplies both propane and heating oil to customers in Burlington and the surrounding area. Even if your heating system runs on natural gas or electricity, Alamance Oil provides comprehensive service and maintenance for your HVAC system. Call (336) 226-9371 today to speak with a heating fuel expert about your options.