In this segment, we’re going to talk about long-term energy savings and consider a few effective but higher cost efficiency initiatives. While these investments are somewhat larger than that of simply caulking a window, the potential savings are larger as well.
These investments include:
-Making sure you have good insulation in exterior walls, ceilings with cold spaces above, and floors with cold spaces below.
-Installing and closing storm windows.
-Consider new windows designed to decrease radiant heat loss without lowering visibility.
-Considering having a solar water heating component installed. This small, easily installed system is virtually maintenance free and warms the water your family uses on a daily basis, using free heat from the sun.
The Energy Communications Council (ECC) also suggests you talk with your local heating oil dealer about Bioheat, a cleaner burning, renewable product that can be blended seamlessly with the heating oil you already use. It lowers emissions and cuts down on the amount of traditional heating oil used.
According to Cape & Islands Self Reliance (reliance.org), a Massachusetts nonprofit promoting environmentally sustainable energy programs, Bioheat is petroleum based heating oil that is blended with some percentage of biodiesel (typically 2-20 percent). Biodiesel is a diesel fuel and heating oil alternative that is made from vegetable oil instead of petroleum oil.
Bioheat works in any regular heating fuel application, such as home heating oil equipment, commercial boilers and diesel generators, without any modifications. To maximize the benefits of using bioheat, our product is made from 20 percent biodiesel (80 percent regular heating oil).
And in states where ultra-low sulfur heating oil is sold, biofuels can be blended, creating a fuel suitable for burning in the world’s most efficient heating equipment.