Building Inspection, Diagnosis & Repair Info

Photograph of our oil fired heating boiler with Mikes CD book on how to save heating costs 5-Step Heating System Tuneup & Operating Priorities

Five top priority steps to significantly cut home heating bills:

This article discusses the best order of priorities of action and expense when choosing what heating system improvements to make in order to reduce heating cost for buildings.

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Setting Priorities Helps in Saving Money on Heating Cost

I would prioritize these heating cost savings topics in order of probable economy and work on them in that order:

  1. Clean and tune the heating system. If the oil burner is not operating properly you are wasting money every time the system runs.

    See OIL BURNERS.
  2. Set back the thermostat.

    See THERMOSTATS and
    if you are actually shutting heat down in a building or in part of one,

    see WINTERIZE A BUILDING.
  3. Buy cheaper oil in summer.

    Some owners install additional oil storage to take advantage of summer prices.

    See HEATING COST FUEL & BTU COST TABLES
  4. Hot Air Heat: Change the air filters monthly when the system is in use. A blocked air filter drastically reduces air flow and increases the length of time your furnace has to run to warm up the home.

    See FURNACES, HEATING
    and
    see AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS
  5. Then after these critical items, consider all of the other tune up and modification suggestions.

    See ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES - building-wide energy cost reduction methods.

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Citations & Reviewers

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

  • Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
  • National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
  • The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
  • The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
  • Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
  • "Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • "Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • "Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
  • Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
  • Installation Guide #200 for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
  • The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
  • In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested

    CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.

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