As non-profit consumer advocacy organizations that have been running a Discount Heating Oil Service for 34 years, Mass Energy and People’s Power & Light want our members to save money. Savings that could be put towards making your home more energy efficient and reducing its carbon footprint. Here are some steps you can take to maintain your heating system’s efficiency, reduce your home’s energy consumption, and spread out your oil bills into predictable monthly payments.

1. Give your Burner a Tune-up

   Our first recommendation to all heating oil consumers is to get an annual burner tune-up, at the beginning or end of the heating season. Like a doctor’s appointment, your annual tune-up helps extend the life of your burner and increase its efficiency by resolving small problems that could become more expensive and potentially terminal problems if left unchecked.

   When the oil system technician comes out they will take steps to maximize the efficiency of your system by cleaning and tuning the system. They will check for accumulation of soot, obstructions, and leaks among other possible issues within the unit. After the technician has finished cleaning and tuning up the system they should perform an efficiency test. Be sure to request that your technician put the results of the efficiency test in writing. Also, don’t be shy, ask your technician if there are any steps that you can take throughout the year, to improve the efficiency of your system.

   What do good efficiency test results look like? Take a look at the numbers:
   Massachusetts "Maintain Your Heating System and Save" pamphlet
   Rhode Island "Maintain Your Heating System and Save" pamphlet

2. Schedule a No-Cost Home Energy Assessment

   The easiest way to save money is by using less heating oil. A no-cost energy assessment will reveal where there is room for improvement for greater energy efficiency, so that you can reduce the amount of oil you need to keep your home warm.

   For example, as an oil consumer, the absence of insulation and air sealing in your home will increase the amount of oil you need to stay warm throughout the winter. Your assessment will reveal low cost improvements you can make to your home and incentives and financing for larger projects. During your assessment an energy specialist will replace inefficient light bulbs and install programmable thermostats, among other small energy efficiency improvements.

   Get a no-cost home energy assessment through National Grid in Rhode Island, or through Mass Save or your local municipal utility in Massachusetts. This no-cost service will help you identify steps you can take in your home to save energy and money.

   Sign up now: Massachusetts no-cost home energy assessments
   Sign up now: Rhode Island no-cost home energy assessments

3. Get Started on Your Budget Plan

   On a budget plan you pay your dealer the same amount every month. The amount you pay is calculated by your average oil consumption and the projected average price of oil. As we know oil prices and your oil usage are not the same every year, therefore any excess money owed by one side gets settled at the end of the year.

   Setting up your budget plan in the warmer months allows your dealer to rest-assured that there are enough funds saved to cover the cost of your deliveries throughout the winter months. With a budget plan you no longer have to worry about paying your bill immediately after the delivery and you will always receive the prompt-pay price because more often than not you have already paid for the delivery before it has been made.

Combine these 3 cost effective steps towards energy savings with a Discount Heating Oil Service membership to maximize your savings! As a member of our Discount Heating Oil Service you get matched with a full service oil dealer in your area who offers you a discounted price on oil all year round. As a member you can rest assured that your dealer’s oil prices are consistent and fair. Over the past three years our members in Rhode Island saved an average of 31 cents per gallon and 38 cents per gallon in Massachusetts compared the statewide average.