OK, home heating oil isn’t as green as solar heating or a ground source heat pump, but it’s not as bad as you might think. If you are living somewhere that’s not connected to the gas grid, then you have limited options, especially if you can’t afford the thousands of euros it costs to install a heat pump. You’ll be stuck with electricity to warm your home, which involves the burning of fossil fuels, or you can burn the coal yourself, which isn’t even legal in some areas anymore!
We could all do with being a little greener, though so if you’re thinking about your next order from Super Saver Oil, why not think about how to use it in a more environmentally-friendly manner?
If your supplier shows it cares about the environment, then you’re onto a winner. Look for a company that uses biodiesel in their trucks, or one that makes a point of scheduling deliveries so that the least amount of fuel is used. Have a look at the supplier’s environmental policies so you know you’re encouraging and rewarding the right attitudes.
If your walls and roof are poorly-insulated and you have gaps and cracks in your windows and doors, you’ll be losing up to 60% of that heat! Insulate your loft really well, replace flimsy curtains with thicker, lined ones and use draught excluders. If there are any windows that aren’t double-glazed, there are clingfilm-type solutions that work quite well.
Let’s say your heating is usually on at 22C – if you turn it down by just one degree, you really won’t notice it, but this could conserve up to 10% of your oil over the winter. It’s good for your bank balance and the planet. Another good move is to turn off the heating 20-30 minutes before you go to bed; your radiators will stay warm for a while but it won’t be costing you anything.
If everyone on your street orders their oil at the same time (or on the same day, at least…), the delivery driver only needs to make a few journeys to set you all up for the winter. This saves on their fuel costs and it’ll also reduce everyone’s delivery charge by a fair amount.
There’s more than one way to heat your place up! When it’s sunny, open the curtains wide and let the sun come through to warm it all up a bit. If you tend to spend most of Sunday baking or making a roast, turn the heating down even lower, or off altogether, and let the oven do some of the work. Make a point of leaving the oven door open when you’re done to give a warming boost to the kitchen.