The warmer-than-normal weather of early Fall appears to have ended here in Southwestern Connecticut.
Your home’s heating system is going to be working full-time soon to keep your home warm and comfortable. We have five ways to make sure your heating system will get the job done.
Life gets pretty busy this time of year with all the holiday stuff going on. You might run out of propane or heating oil if you don’t check your fuel tank levels on a regular basis, leaving you without heat in your home. Our Automatic Delivery service uses your fuel usage history and current weather conditions to forecast when you’ll require more fuel, and we schedule a delivery ahead of time so that you have propane before you run out. Getting your heating oil or propane is stress-free!
With Santa Energy’s wireless propane tank monitoring service, there’s no better way to keep track of your propane supply. The monitor uses wireless and cellular technology to follow your propane supply all day, every day! When the level in your propane tank reaches a certain point, it sends us an alert, and we deliver your propane. You can keep track of your propane consumption with a user-friendly app on your smartphone or tablet.
The furnace or boiler in your house should be maintained by a professional service technician on a regular basis to ensure that it is working at peak efficiency. This winter, you may be able to save big on your heating energy expenses thanks to that improved energy efficiency. Before problems or breakdowns occur, your Santa Energy service technician is also able to thoroughly examine your furnace or boiler and make any necessary repairs. An annual maintenance tune-up is included in all of our service plans.
If you have a forced-air furnace, now is the time to clean and vacuum the registers, making sure they are in good working order and do not spread dust or allergens around your home. Remove any obstructions, such as curtains or furniture, and listen for air vents to flow freely. If you haven’t cleaned your ductwork in the last five years, it’s time to do so. Cleaning your ductwork not only keeps the air in your house cleaner and safer, but it will also allow ductwork cleaners to detect and repair leaks to improve your heating system’s energy efficiency.
Do some simple do-it-yourself work with caulk, weatherstripping, and expanding foam to remove drafts from your doors, windows, and external walls. This alone may save you 10% on your heating costs!
Look around outside. Inspect your outdoor fuel tanks for signs of damage or instability on their base. Place a pole with a flag or strip of bright-colored fabric near the tank that’s tall enough to be seen over any piles of snow so your Santa Energy delivery driver can find your tank after a snowstorm. Clear leaves and other debris from around vents and flues.
Programmable and smart thermostats are excellent ways to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. If you don’t already have one, now is a good time to get one because they can assist you save money on your heating bills by 10%. Smart and programmable thermostats are reasonably priced and can be found at your local home improvement store or online. Smart thermostats allow you to check your thermostat settings from your phone wherever you can get a wireless or cellular signal and offer extra features such as alerting you when your HVAC system needs service.
These are the recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy for programming your thermostat in cold weather:
Don’t get stuck with a no-heat emergency! Contact Santa Energy today to schedule your heating system tune-up before winter gets started.
Technology has dramatically changed how we live, even in just the last 20 years.
At Santa Energy, we are putting technology to work to make our outstanding service even better! It starts with our website, which is easy to navigate and enables easier communication with us.
We also use technology to improve our fuel delivery and equipment services. Learn how you can use our technology to your advantage.
Make having propane in your home effortless by enrolling in wireless propane tank monitoring! Our monitors use wireless and cellular technology to let us know, in real time, precisely how much propane is in your tank. When the tank gauge reaches a set level, we get a notification and schedule a delivery to your home. You don’t have to do a thing!
Want to make managing your Santa Energy account easy? There’s an app for that! The Santa Energy app is available on Google Play and the Apple Store. With our app, you can:
You can do all of this and more 24/7, wherever you get a signal for your phone.
Is it time for your HVAC system’s regular maintenance tune-up? Is your water heater making weird noises? Just fill out this simple, quick form and we’ll promptly get back to you to schedule an appointment.
If you have a no-heat emergency, DO NOT use the form. Call us.
Paper clutter is a bane of our existence. With Santa Energy’s paperless billing, your statement comes to your email inbox, shrinking that pile of paper on the kitchen table and making your statement easy to find. You can pay your bill online, too, so you never have to worry about it getting lost in the mail.
AutoPay offers several benefits. Your monthly payment is automatically deducted from your checking account or credit card, so you never need to worry about your payment being on time. Also, if you use your credit card that has a points-based rewards program, you’ll get those rewards faster by using it to pay your Santa Energy bill!
Become a Santa Energy customer for the best, easiest fuel delivery and equipment service in Southwestern Connecticut!
With inflation affecting virtually every facet of our lives this year, we’re all looking for ways to cut costs and avoid unnecessary expenditures.
One way you can do that is by taking good care of your home’s HVAC and comfort equipment along with your heating oil tank. Santa Energy offers affordable service plans and heating oil tank protection that will help you keep everything operating properly and protect you from big repair bills that no one needs right now.
We offer service plans for both oil-fired and propane furnaces and boilers, central air conditioning, ductless mini-splits (also known as heat pumps), water heaters, whole-house humidifiers, and gas fireplaces.
Every Santa Energy service plan includes an annual maintenance tune-up. Having your equipment serviced once a year helps it run at peak efficiency, resulting in lower energy costs.
The tune-up also allows our skilled, experienced service technicians to discover and fix problems before they get worse. This helps prevent breakdowns that can lead to big repair bills.
Speaking of repairs, if something does go wrong and your HVAC or comfort equipment need repairs, you can save money because our service plans also include discounts that can cut the cost of those repairs. Here are the national averages for repair costs.
There are several other advantages of our service plans, including 24/7 emergency assistance and priority service, ensuring that your equipment is fixed swiftly in the case of a breakdown.
Heating oil tanks are long-lasting, but they aren’t indestructible. If your heating oil tank fails, you’ll have to spend thousands of dollars replacing it as well as cleaning up any spilled fuel. Heating oil tanks are virtually never covered in standard homeowner insurance policies, so those costs are your responsibility. A Massachusetts couple nearly lost their home earlier this year when a tank failure led to a six-figure cleanup estimate.
Our ProGuard® heating oil tank protection plan, available to all Santa Energy Automatic Delivery customers, provides coverage of $50,000 towards tank replacement and cleanup costs in the event of a heating oil tank failure.
Contact Santa Energy to find out more about and enroll in our service plans and get a heating oil tank protection plan.
When your home’s water heater is near the end of its lifespan and becoming less efficient and dependable, you might expect a difficult time purchasing a new one. Santa Energy makes it simple and worry-free!
The team of Santa Energy equipment professionals is with you every step of the way. From expert sales, installation, and service, we’re here to help you locate the best water heater for your Southwestern Connecticut home. We’ll also give you a FREE quote and assist you with obtaining financing and any rebates that may apply.
Is your current water heater powered by electricity? If so, this is a great opportunity to switch to a propane model that will give you more efficient comfort and money savings.
Propane water heaters cost $25 less, on average, to run than electric water heaters. That means a propane water heater can save you up to $4,000 over the typical 10-year lifespan of a tank-style water heater from a comparable electric model.
In terms of energy efficiency, a propane water heater’s recovery time is half of an electric water heater. This means your wait between showers for hot water will be significantly reduced.
There is more than one kind of propane water heater.
There are several advantages to purchasing a conventional water heater with a tank. When it comes to heating water, a 40-gallon propane water heater provides the same amount of hot water as a 50-gallon electric model but is much faster. It’s also less expensive to purchase, install, maintain, and repair.
On-demand propane tankless heaters can provide an unlimited amount of hot water on demand. Furthermore, because it just heats water when you require it, your energy bills will be reduced. In some cases by 40% or more! When you consider that water heating accounts for roughly 20% of your home’s energy use, it is a significant amount of money saved.
They also last at least twice as long as conventional types, giving you an even better return on your investment.
When comparing models, look for their Energy Factor (EF) rating; this indicates energy efficiency based on how much hot water is generated per unit of fuel burned over a typical day. The higher the EF, the more efficient the water heater is.
Here is what goes into the EF rating:
Get the comfort you can count on with Santa Energy’s installation and service of high-efficiency water heaters! Request a quote and we’ll get to work for you.
Have you been considering adding solar energy to your Southwestern Connecticut home? If you are, you don’t have to go with a business you’ve never heard of. Put the knowledge, skill, and outstanding personal service of Santa Energy to work for you with our residential solar services!
Installing solar panels on your home is not a one-size-fits-all job. That personalized service starts with us coming out to your home, going over your objectives, and carefully determining where your solar panels should be installed for those objectives. We’ll know how much power your panels will produce and offset and see if you should also use our battery backup program. With that data, we’ll customize your solar panel installation.
Santa Energy handles securing any local permits you need for the project so you know your solar energy system will be installed safely to meet all local codes. We’ll also take care of any required utility approvals.
Like our HVAC service technicians, our team of solar energy technicians are skilled, trained, and experienced and uphold our high standards for quality work, safety, reliability, and courtesy.
With solar power in your home, you gain more control of your energy costs. First, it minimizes the impact on your household budget from any price hikes by your electrical utility. Second, because you’re using less electricity from your utility, you won’t be paying as much for your electricity.
Our battery backup system lets you store electricity in case the power goes out. It connects with both your solar array and your home’s electrical system, turning on when there’s a power outage so your home stays safe and comfortable.
You can feel good about using solar power because you are also reducing the environmental impact of your home. About half of the electricity generated in the U.S. is generated by coal-fired power plants. By using solar energy, you’re helping to fight climate change and other environmental damage.
Adding solar energy to your home is a major investment. You need a solar company you can trust. For Southwestern Connecticut, that solar company is Santa Energy.
We’re not some fly-by-night company or a national corporation. Santa Energy is a family business, locally based right here. We’ve been providing outstanding service to our neighbors for more than 80 years.
If you need any service with your solar energy system, you know that we’ll be here for you. “Comfort You Can Count On” is more than a slogan. It’s the foundation of everything we do. You don’t have to call some far-off call center to reach us. You get someone from right here, who treats you with the respect and responsiveness our customers deserve.
Do you have questions about Santa Energy’s solar services? Please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to answer them!
Do you use propane in your home? If you do, you know it cannot be beaten for efficiency, versatility, and comfort.
However, to enjoy those benefits, you need to have propane in your tank. That’s why we offer the security of our Automatic Delivery and wireless propane tank monitoring services. It makes ensuring you always have propane work-free and worry-free.
If you choose to still use Will-Call to get propane, you must know how to read your propane tank gauge, so you know how much propane is in your tank. That’s how you know when to contact us to request a delivery.
Go out to your propane tank and look for the round dial on it that looks like a car’s speedometer. The numbers on the dial indicate the percentage of how full your propane tank is. If the needle is on 50, your propane tank read is 50% full. If you use Will-Call delivery, don’t let your tank level fall below 30% before contacting us to schedule a propane delivery. This helps to make sure that we’ll be able to make a delivery before you run low.
While learning how to read your propane tank gauge is easy, remembering to actually go out and read it isn’t. It’s understandable. Life gets busy.
Forgetting to check your propane tank gauge, however, can cause a lot of problems. You risk running low on propane and needing an emergency delivery, or, worse, running out of propane. A propane runout necessitates an emergency propane delivery. You will also need to have your propane tank pressure tested and all of your propane appliance pilots re-lit by a service technician.
Santa Energy offers two great ways to make sure that you always have the propane you need for your home.
We’ll look after monitoring your propane use for you if you have Automatic Delivery! Our state-of-the-art computer system factors your propane usage and weather conditions to accurately predict when you’ll need more. We then schedule you for a delivery before you run low.
Some of our customers want even more precision when it comes to tracking their propane supply. Some have income properties, or they are managing their elderly parents’ homes. Whatever the reason, wireless propane tank monitoring works like nothing else. It uses wireless and cellular technology to keep us informed 24/7 of exactly how much propane is in your tank. When it hits a set level, we make a delivery. You don’t have to do anything!
Never worry about how much propane you have again! Contact Santa Energy today to learn more about Automatic Delivery and wireless propane tank monitoring.
When it comes to heating oil and propane pricing, what goes up generally has to come down. It’s just a matter of when. For us all, the feeling is that the sooner the better.
War, geopolitical tension, political upheaval, and natural catastrophes like tsunamis, earthquakes, and tornadoes can all have an impact on oil and gas pricing. Propane is a by-product of both oil and natural gas, if pricing for those changes, the pricing for propane is impacted as well.
Before the start of the war in Ukraine in late February, energy costs were on the rise because traders expected other nations to take action against the Russian energy sector if Russia went through with its plans to invade Ukraine.
Because it is the world’s third-largest oil and liquid fuels producer, behind only the United States and Saudi Arabia, Russia has a lot of influence. It ships both crude oil and natural gas in significant quantities abroad.
Even the prospect of a commodity supply outage will have an impact on commodity traders’ purchases and sales. In the high-pressure world of investing, this is known as the fear factor.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, and the United States and other nations imposed a ban on Russian oil and petroleum products, we knew there would be a big fuel gap to fill. Uncertainty is something many who make money in the oil markets dislike. Speculators who are betting on price changes, as well as hedgers who are protecting their clients who are invested in the development or usage of oil, fall into this category.
The balance between supply and demand is the most important variable influencing fuel prices. The weather also has an influence.
When scarcity occurs in a market with high demand, such as during the winter months, the price rises. When a severe cold snap persists for an abnormally long period of time, this dearth grows worse. People may begin to panic buy as a result of the shortage. An example of how that works is the toilet paper shortage we saw at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other issues and costs have also arisen recently, and they have an impact on fuel costs
We’re not sure where things will go from here, but we can tell you that we are as concerned as you are.
When fuel costs rise, some people think that our earnings go up. The reality is that they decline. Customers cut back their usage as the price of propane and heating oil rise. Payment delays by clients lead to increased receivables. We must pay our vendors on time, usually within 10 days of delivery. That often puts us in the position of needing to borrow from our bank in order to keep going. It’s a tough situation for everyone involved.
You can always count on us to keep you supplied with the propane and heating oil you require to maintain your house safe and pleasant. We have a long history in operation and have strong ties with suppliers and financial institutions, which allows us to provide exceptional service.
If you’re having difficulties making your Santa Energy payments, please contact us before you fall behind. We typically can come up with a solution, particularly if you’ve been with us for a long time. We can also put you on our Budget Plan, which spreads out your propane and heating oil expenses over the year into simple, affordable monthly installments.
We can’t wait until fuel costs begin to go down. Until then, please trust us to look out for you while we all pray for the Ukrainian people.
For competitive fuel pricing and responsive, personal service, you can count on Santa Energy! Become a customer today.
Are you a procrastinator? We get it. However, some things are better getting done early. One of those things is home heating system maintenance. Because getting your equipment checked, repaired, or replaced in the summer is a lot easier than doing it in the dead of winter.
If you have the time now to take care of any needed repairs or replacement of your home’s furnace or boiler, you can be assured that it will be ready whenever you need to turn it back on when temperatures drop.
The advantage of performing any heating system repairs or replacements in the summer is that our service department has a more open schedule. We’ll be able to promptly get to your home to perform any needed service.
Santa Energy’s service technicians are skilled, trained, and experienced. They have the know-how to help your home’s heating system run at its best, so you get the most out of your investment. Our technicians uphold our high standards by showing up when they say we will (or notifying you if there’s a delay) and providing expert, courteous service.
Did you detect any problems with your heating system during the previous winter? We can address them during the tune-up and make any necessary repairs now to ensure that your boiler or furnace is running at peak efficiency this winter.
At Santa Energy, we don’t believe in replacing a heating system just because it’s old. Keeping up with maintenance is key! But, if we find that replacing your boiler or furnace is a superior alternative during our tune-up or repairs, we’ll give you our honest, straight opinion and a FREE estimate. We can also help with financing and securing any rebates your new heating system qualifies for.
Replacing your heating system in the summer makes a lot of sense because your new high-efficiency boiler or furnace will be installed and ready to go when cold weather arrives.
Repair costs. If your heating system is in need of major repairs and the cost of those repairs is more than 50% of what it would cost to replace your furnace or boiler, replacement may be the most fiscally responsible option.
Performance. If the heating in your home was poor or uneven last winter, we will take a comprehensive look at your heating system to see what repairs can be done and/or when it’s time to start thinking about replacing it.
Heating costs. If your heating bills are going up but repairs aren’t likely to make a significant difference, it’s time to start thinking about replacing your furnace or boiler.
Future plans. Are you planning to retire or move in the next few years? A new heating system may be a good idea if you’re going to sell your house. A new heating system can increase the value of your home and improve its appeal to potential buyers. If retirement is in your near future, A new furnace or boiler will give you better energy efficiency and lower energy costs. You also won’t have to worry about replacing it soon after moving to a fixed income.
Santa Energy’s affordable service plans make taking care of your home’s heating system easy! Get in touch with us today to learn more and enroll.
With the way prices for everything have been going up lately, especially energy costs, it’s understandable you want to know how much propane usage is normal during the summer. That information can help you estimate how much your propane costs will be so you can plan your household budget.
However, it’s not always easy to anticipate your propane usage because there are several variables that can affect it. Santa Energy is here to help you with pricing and payment options that give you more control over your propane costs and how you manage them.
One of our more popular options is our Budget Plan. Your propane costs are spread out over 11 even, affordable payments. It makes planning your monthly expenses easy!
Our Value Flex Plan and Fixed Price Plan give you the ability to decide how you choose to manage your propane pricing.
With AutoPay, your monthly payment is automatically deducted from your checking account or credit card. Your payment is on time, every time.
You’re not likely to be utilizing all your propane appliances at 100% capacity 24/7. Thus, the calculation below is for using them at 25% to 50% capacity for two to six hours a day.
The numbers in this table demonstrate how much your propane usage can vary a great deal, from 1.2 to 7.2 gallons each day. Just having guests or visiting family for a few days can increase your propane usage more than you may think, thanks to using more hot water for laundry and bathing along with using your propane range more for cooking. Here’s an example:
This number can then be used to calculate greater use of propane appliances:
In summer, a propane pool heater (at 425,000 BTU/hour) that operates for one hour a day at 75% capacity would add about 3.5 gallons to your daily usage:
As you can see, propane pool heaters consume a lot of propane. That’s why recommend utilizing a pool cover when the pool isn’t in use to help keep as much of that heat in the pool as possible.
A propane whole-house backup generator can also impact your propane usage calculations as you can’t predict when you’ll need to use it.
When it comes to dependable propane delivery, Santa Energy can’t be beat! Become a customer today.
With Memorial Day so close, now is the time to get ready for grilling season!
Propane makes grilling easy, convenient, and fun. Propane grills can be customized with features such as side burners, smoker boxes, rotisseries, multiple grilling levels, and more. They’re ready to grill in just a few minutes, unlike charcoal grills that can take a half-hour or more to be at the right temperature. You get precise and instant temperature control that allows you to grill a wide range of food.
However, you need to be aware of how to safely use your grill and the propane cylinders that fuel them. Here are some important tips.
Take some time ahead of grilling season to do a thorough spring cleaning of your grill so you know it will be ready to go for your next cookout or weeknight supper. Here’s what to do.
Regular maintenance will help keep your grill running smoothly all summer. Make sure to clean your grill and empty the grease trap after each use. Not only will this keep it operating properly, but it will also reduce the risk of fire. In fact, one in five fires is caused by leftover grease.
Propane cylinders should never be stored indoors or in a garage, shed, carport, sunporch, or any other enclosed space.
Keep propane cylinders outside, away from direct sunlight, upright, and on a dry surface, preferably off the ground. If the ground becomes wet, the cylinder can rust.
It’s important to keep your propane tank away from fire and any equipment that could produce a spark, like your grill.
When taking your propane cylinders for refilling or exchanging, keep them upright. Even if you think a cylinder is empty, there may be enough liquid propane in it to leak out if it’s on its side. Never leave a cylinder in your car for long, especially in the summer. It’s best to go home straight after the refill or exchange, so make it your last stop on your errands.
Did you know that you can connect your propane grill to your home’s propane tank? Contact us today to learn more!