Conservation

As aconscientious supplier of home comfort services and fuel, Peterson Oil Service plays an important role in energy conservation and environmental protection in the Worcester, Mass. area.

A vital part of our mission is promoting conservation in homes and businesses, which we accomplish in several ways.

Conservation advice: Our conservation experts work closely with customers to identify energy-saving opportunities and capitalize on them. We can inspect a home or business, identify energy-wasting appliances and fixtures and under-insulated areas, then develop a remediation plan.

High-efficiency installations: We sell and install some of the most efficient heating and cooling equipment on the market today. We have helped thousands of Worcester-area customers reduce their carbon footprints, and we'll be happy to do the same for you. A reasonable investment in high efficiency can make your home or business a conservation showplace - and minimize emissions.

Advanced fuels: We help our customers reduce emissions, save fuel and minimize maintenance issues by optimizing our fuel blends. The advanced additive we use in our Oilheat promotes efficient, clean burning and protects your equipment. Our fuel experts are also evaluating plant-based biofuels that blend with Oilheat, and we will soon introduce a bio/oil blend that will benefit the environment and promote U.S. energy independence.

Ozone-preserving refrigerants: Older air conditioning systems use refrigerants such as R-22 that contribute to ozone layer depletion whenever they are released into the environment. Peterson has helped hundreds of customers curb ozone depletion by removing older air conditioning equipment and installing new systems that use R-410A, which does not contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Safe oil storage: We work to prevent releases of oil by advising customers about timely replacement of their oil tanks. The only good time to replace a tank is before it leaks, and we help homeowners and businesses determine when to replace their tanks and install durable, safe replacements.

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Green Initiatives

Massachusetts Mandates Bioheat®
Oilheat is popular and widely used in Massachusetts, so it is only natural that the Bay State should lead the nation in the transition to the premium home heating fuel of the future: Bioheat.

Starting in July 2010, all dealers will be required to replace traditional Oilheat with a blend that includes at least 2% biofuel. By 2013, the minimum blend level will increase to 5%. Peterson Oil Service enthusiastically supports this move, and we pledge to make Bioheat available to our customers on schedule or even earlier.

Bioheat® is a win-win proposition. Users protect the environment and help reduce U.S. dependence on imported energy, because Bioheat burns cleaner than traditional Oilheat and incorporates plant-based biofuel that is renewable and produced in the United States.

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New Law Promotes Safe Storage, Adds Homeowner Coverage
A new state law improves older heating systems and helps protect homes and the environment. Beginning next year, homes that have unprotected oil lines that are in contact with the floor will be required either to upgrade to a line with a non-metallic sleeve or to install an oil safety valve. This is a sensible provision that promotes safe oil storage.

The same law also requires insurance providers to give homeowners the option to buy insurance that covers any property damage that might occur from an accidental release from an oil tank. Insurers are required to offer you this coverage, but as a homeowner you are not required to purchase it.

If your oil line needs an upgrade, or you are unsure whether it meets the new standard, please give us a call or contact us.

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Green Bulletin

Peterson Oil turns to the Massachusetts Oilheat Council and the New England Fuel Institute for information and guidance on laws and regulations that pertain to Oilheat. You can access the same resources using these links - as well as some other interesting sources of conservation information.

New England Fuel Institute
http://www.nefi.com/

Massachusetts Oilheat Council
http://www.massoilheat.org/

Bioheat Online
http://www.bioheatonline.com/

Energy Savers, from the U.S Department of Energy http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/

Home Energy Use, from the U.S. Department of Energy
http://www.energy.gov/yourhome.htm

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Energy-Saving Tips

Year-Round Tips
These tips can help save energy in every season.

Install a digital programmable thermostat. It puts your heating and cooling systems on an automatic schedule: full heat or cooling during hours when the home is active, and less when the house is empty or the family is asleep. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says that setting back a home's temperature by 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day can reduce total heating and cooling costs by 5 to 15 percent.

Insulate thoroughly to eliminate heat transfer through your walls, ceilings and floors. You could reduce your heating and cooling costs by as much as 15 percent, according to Consumer Energy Council of America.
Replace outdated appliances with high-efficiency units to reduce energy consumption.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), that use only 25 percent as much energy and last 10 times as long.
Reduce water heater temperature setting to 120 degrees to save fuel. (You'll also reduce the risk of scalding.)
Add caulking and weather-stripping around doors, attic access, windows, outdoor faucets and any areas where there might be leaks. (As much as 40 percent of your heating and cooling costs can be due to air leaks.) Check caulking at least once a year and replace material that has dried out and shrunk.
Install rubber gaskets behind outlets and switch plates on exterior walls. (Gaskets can be found in most home improvement stores.)

Check weather-stripping and door sweeps at least once a year and repair or replace them as needed.
Repair and weatherize your storm windows.
Close off rooms you don't use - and remember to shut the vents inside.
Install dimmer switches. In addition to enhancing the mood, they'll extend the life of your bulbs and help you save up to 60 percent on your lighting costs.
Install motion activated switches that automatically turn lights on and off.
Install water-conserving fixtures, such as showerheads, faucets and toilets.
Fix leaky faucets, especially hot water faucets. One drop per second can add up to 165 gallons per month - more than a person uses in two weeks.
Take showers instead of baths. A five-minute shower will use about 7.5 gallons of hot water; filling a bathtub can use up to 20 gallons.
Keep ductwork in good repair by sealing leaks with mastic, metal-backed tape. Your home could be losing up to 25 percent of its heated or cooled air before it reaches the vents!
Install ceiling fans. They could cut your energy bill for cooling by 40 percent.

Use efficient temperature setting for your refrigerator and freezer. Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40 degrees for the refrigerator and 5 degrees for the freezer.
Don't leave the fridge door open! Every time you do, up to 30 percent of the air inside can escape. The same can be said for your oven.
Use less water and use cooler water when doing laundry. The warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.
Consider air-drying clothes on clotheslines or drying racks. Clothing manufacturers recommend air-drying for some fabrics.
Use a covered kettle or pan to boil water; it's faster and uses less energy.

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Warm Weather Tips

Keep drapes, blinds and shades closed during the day to block out the sun.
Clear furniture away from air conditioning vents.
Plant shade trees due west of west windows. It could reduce your air conditioning bills by up to 25 percent!
Cook on the grill to keep cooking heat outside the home.
When cooking inside, use a microwave instead of a conventional oven. It uses less than half the power and cooks food in about one-fourth the time.
Install reflective window coatings to reflect heat away from your home.

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Cold Weather Tips

Insulate your hot water tank. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that you insulate the tank or water heater and the first six feet of hot water pipe.
Have your heating system tuned. A well-tuned boiler or furnace burns 5 percent less fuel.
If you have a furnace, clean or replace the air filter once a month to assure the best airflow and efficiency. Make sure that furniture or draperies do not block vents.

Upgrade your heating system. Homeowners who have older Oilheat systems can lower their fuel costs by 30 percent or more by installing a new, high-efficiency system. New designs incorporate technologies like condensing and multi-stage operation to squeeze every ounce of heat from the system. The savings provide a remarkable return on investment that keeps paying off year after year - every time the weather turns cold.
Sunshine! Windows on the south side of the house get the most sunlight. Eastern windows get sunlight in the morning. West facing windows receive sunlight in the afternoon. Open shades and drapes during the daytime and close when the sun goes down.
Seal off your attic-circulating fan with polyethylene and tape.
Wrap your pipes, to guard against heat loss and prevent them from freezing.
Avoid using space heaters. They're expensive to operate and can be dangerous.

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