We’re already a month into spring 2018 – according to the calendar, anyway – but when you’re coming out of a winter like we just had, the memory of it sticks with you a little longer than usual. Before we succumb to our annual (and welcome) bout of springtime amnesia here in Maine, it might pay to look at some things we’ve learned from winter 2017-18 so we can have an easier time of it when the calendar turns to winter 2018-19.
Winter 2017-18: Three key takeaways
The winter of 2017-18 can be summed up in three words: expect the unexpected. Extreme and sudden temperature swings were the norm, as was severe weather – to the tune of four Nor’easters in three tumultuous New England weeks late in the season.
The answer to unpredictability, of course, is to be prepared for anything – and the best way to do that is by getting routine heating service every year. A winter is both a marathon and a sprint for your heating system, which must not only keep your home warm day after day but also do it when the temperature swings 30 degrees or more in a 24-hour period (as it did multiple times this winter). To stay in shape for that kind of workout, your heating oil- or propane-fired system needs a little preventive TLC. Remember, about eighty percent of heating system repairs are preventable with routine maintenance – a statistic worth remembering the next time your family is huddling for warmth as you wait for emergency service on the coldest night of the year.
Another reason for that unexpected parka-party in your living room? Fuel run-outs. We saw a lot of those in early 2018, when record-low temperatures gripped New England for several challenging weeks. Most of those run-outs happened with our will-call customers, who had to wait their turn for a heating oil or propane delivery. Our automatic delivery customers, on the other hand, got priority service for any emergency problems they encountered. That peace of mind makes signing up for FREE automatic delivery our second winter 2017-18 takeaway.
The third lesson? Know when it’s time to upgrade your heating system. Eventually (some time after 10 years, on average), replacing your home heating equipment makes more sense than repairing it – especially when you consider the incredible efficiency of today’s systems and the incentives available from manufacturers and energy programs. When that time comes, don’t hesitate to make the investment –preferably before winter is in full swing, and before you’re forced to upgrade after your furnace or boiler kicks the bucket when you need it most.
Three lessons, three ways to make next winter a little easier for you and your family. For other ways to take the stress out of winter, give us a call – we’re happy to help.
Considering a heating system upgrade for your central Maine-area home? We can help. Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate.
