How to save on fuel this winter

New Jersey oil heat retailers are letting consumers know that it’s not too late for them to save on winter heating costs by tuning up their heating oil systems and taking other simple, practical steps to conserve energy. New oil furnaces are highly efficient, but an annual tune-up also keeps existing equipment functioning at top performance, according to the heating oil industry’s Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey (FMA). Properly maintained boilers and furnaces can operate at higher temperatures, while burning less fuel, thereby reducing heating bills by up to 10 percent. Here are some other tips on saving fuel: Do: Open shades and drapes when the sun is out to let it help warm your home. Close them when the sun goes down. Turn back the thermostat at night or when you are away from home; for every degree you lower your thermostat for eight hours or more each day, you’ll save 2 percent on your heating bill. Wrap your pipes to guard against heat loss and prevent them from freezing. Stop drafts by eliminating gaps between doors and the threshold on the floor. Attach a bottom seal at the base of the door - it should brush up against the floor to seal up the threshold. Caulk or re-caulk exterior spaces between the windows and walls of your home. Close your kitchen vent, fireplace damper and closet doors when not in use. If you have central air conditioning, close your vent(s) to the outside. Remove air conditioning window units, or cover them to keep cold air outside. Keep radiators and registers free of dust for top efficiency. Replace your furnace’s or boiler’s fuel economizer. Make sure you have good insulation on exterior walls, ceilings with cold spaces above, and floors with cold spaces below.