Winter always poses difficult challenges to rural homeowners and heating oil users, and with climate change beginning to take effect in the UK and worldwide, our winters are becoming increasingly severe. So, how can our domestic oil customers look to protect and prepare their homes for the freezing temperatures, heavy rains, storms and high winds that winter looks likely to bring? Read on and find out.
Check your tank
With heating oil theft on the rise, it's important that you check your tank frequently and ensure that it hasn't fallen victim to potential thieves or vandals. Even if it hasn't been targeted, it may have become damaged or begun to subside as a result of annual wear and tear. Look around the base of your tank for any dark patches of soil, any strange smells and dead or damaged vegetation. Check that the fuel lines are in good condition and ensure that the base of your tank hasn't begun to subside or slip.
Check the exterior
High winds and heavy rains can take their toll on the exterior of your home, so you need to ensure that it's in good condition if you want to stay warm. Check that the tiles of your roof are secure and robust so rainwater cannot come into your home. Check that your gutters aren't blocked or loose so they can deal with the weather conditions appropriately. Check window panes and shutters too – you don't want those to be blown apart in the wind either!
Check the boiler
Your boiler needs just as much love as your tank at this time of year. The combustion of heating oil in the boiler itself can cause soot and other impurities to build up over time, resulting in damage to your boiler's components or loss of boiler efficiency. These aren't checks you can perform yourself, so get an OFTEC registered engineer to come and look your boiler over and perform any routine maintenance that may be required.
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