SG Énergie suggests these small things for big savings

Here are a few easy tips that are ensured to save you money.

Use a programmable thermostat

  • Use a programmable thermostat that will lower the temperature in your house at night even if nobody is home.
  • Install a shower head that uses one ­third less hot water.
  • Clean your radiators and heating vents to remove dust build up. Better heat circulation means your heating system doesn’t have to work as hard and saves you money.
  • If you have hot-­water heating system, you can cut your energy consumption by 1% by lowering the water temperature in the boiler by 3 degrees. Speak to our technician during his next service call.
  • Fix leaky faucets. One drop of hot water per second adds up to 16 bathtubs per month.

To maximize the efficiency of your oil heating system, have it serviced annually. Your savings will quickly cover the cost of an annual tune-up.

See how your savings add up with an improved heating system

If you are currently heating with oil and are considering upgrading to a more energy-­efficient oil furnace, you would probably like to get an idea of what your savings could be. The equation below gives you pretty accurate results. All you need to know is your annual heating cost and the kind of system you have.


A = seasonal performance of proposed system
B = seasonal performance of existing system
C = annual cost of fuel used

For example: How much could you save by replacing your old furnace by a new high static pressure burner (seasonal performance of 8%) if your current annual cost of fuel is $1,205?

The seasonal performance of a new high static pressure burner is of the order of 85%, while that of your existing system is 60%. Therefore, A = 85%, B = 60% (these numbers represent an average seasonal performance spread) and C = $1,205.

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You could save $354 a year by installing this new model. Or simply ask the experts at SG Energie to evaluate your heating system and offer the best solutions!

Source: Natural Resources Canada

Small ways to save big

Here are a few easy ways to cut your heating bills without compromising comfort:

Temperature and thermostats

  • Keep room temperature the same in all rooms that cannot be closed off.
  • When you are home, keep room temperature around 18 °C to 21 °C (64 °F to 70 °F). Each degree above 20 °C consumes 2 to 5 % more energy.
  • Lower your thermostats 2 °C to 4 °C at night or when you aren’t home.
  • During an extended absence, keep the temperature just high enough to prevent the pipes from freezing(12 °C to 15 °C depending on the building).
  • Close off cool or unused rooms.
  • Use programmable electronic thermostats . They are more expensive to buy, but ensure more accurate room temperature. Mechanical thermostats can have a margin of error of 2 °C to 4 °C.
  • Use the ceiling fan to circulate heat. Rotating clockwise in winter pushes heat accumulated at the ceiling down where you need it. Counter-­clockwise in summer draws the heat up toward the ceiling.
  • Make sure that no furniture or other object is blocking heating vents. This could prevent heat from circulating throughout your home.
  • Adjust your curtains to fall 30 cm (1 in.) above the heating vents so air circulates.

Servicing

  • We recommend having your heating system serviced every year to make sure it is in good working order and energy efficient.
  • Before firing up your furnace, clean, or have cleaned, your ducts, hot-­air vents (forced hot-­air system)and the intake vent on the front of the burner.
  • Purge hot water radiators.