Making the heating oil last a wee bit longer

At the Dandy’ Derrynoose we continue to have the very best value in home heating oil that you will find for many a mile.  We always lead the way for great prices. But even we cannot completely offset the rising costs worldwide. Energy and fuel, whether it is to warm the house, drive the tractor or keep the lawnmower chugging along has increased in price. But there are things that we all can do to reduce the amount of heating oil and fuel that we are using every day. Conserving the fuel, we have and making it go a little further.

Here's a few tips on saving home heating oil without freezing completely.

Insulation:  Make sure your attic is insulated and if there are a few wee gaps then grab yourself a roll of insulation and lay a layer down on the attic floor to stop the cold breezes creeping down and robbing all the heat.

Thermostat:  The average heat level that is recommended for a domestic home is around 19-20 degrees. If your thermostat is set higher than this, then you are burning extra fuel. And by extra, we mean too much in the current climate. It is thought that for every 1 degree notched up on the thermostat there is a 10% extra increase on the overall home heating oil bill, so savings can be made easily and quickly by turning the thermostat down.

Boiler and radiator maintenance:  Boilers should be serviced once a year so that they are working at their best and not burning fuel unnecessarily. The summer is a good time to get the boiler and the heating tank checked so that it will all be working well and giving you the best return for your fuel in the colder months ahead.   Bleed the radiators and if necessary, call the specialists to flush through your system and have the radiators hopping with heat, with no cold spots.

There are lots of simple ways that you can make sure you are getting the most from your tank of kerosene. Some things are just as simple and as practical as turning off the radiators in rooms that you are not using and closing the doors on rooms that you are so that the heat stays in. Heavy curtains and large furniture can block radiators. The heat is then wasted. Take a few minutes to plan your room design so that radiators are free from obstruction and the heat can circulate around the room. Check windows and doors for draughts. A couple of rolls of draught excluder will shore up those in no time and keep the heat where is belongs in the house. We stock lovely warm socks and hats to keep your extremities warm and we may well just have to dress for the weather inside our houses as well as out. With a little thought and a change of habits, every little saving on fuel costs will make a difference both to the planet and to your pocket.

Heating the house is definitely going to cost more as all kinds of world politics and events outside our control influence the markets.   But there is one certainty that you can depend on. The fuel prices at The Dandy’s Derrynoose will always be the very best value around.