Magazine · Heating oil
Reduce heating oil consumption: what really helps
Every litre less saves money and spares the environment. We show the levers worth pulling.
To the levers
What this is about
Consumption has many adjusting screws
How much heating oil a house needs depends on insulation, system and behaviour. Many levers cost little or nothing and still have a noticeable effect, others are bigger investments with a long-term payoff.
It pays to start small and do the easy things first.
What is worth it
- Temperature and timing: one degree less and a night setback save measurably, without loss of comfort.
- Bleed the radiators: air in the system costs efficiency, bleeding is quickly done.
- System maintenance: a well-adjusted, clean burner uses less.
- Hydraulic balancing: distributes the heat evenly and lowers consumption.
- Insulation: the bigger investment with the largest long-term effect, from pipes to the building envelope.
Said honestly
You do not cut heating oil consumption with one miracle trick, but with a sum of sensible steps: first the cheap levers like temperature, bleeding and maintenance, then the bigger ones like balancing and insulation. The largest jumps come long-term from the building envelope. We give you the facts, the decision stays with you.
Sources and further reading
- Heating oil , Wikipedia