Summer Home Comfort Checklist for Your Connecticut Home

Summer is almost here – time to relax, get out, and enjoy the good weather groove (we certainly earned it, after our extended wintry spring)! Just don’t forget to do the things that will set you up for an easier go of it in the months ahead.

Here’s a summer checklist of things to do for your Connecticut home:

Outdoor living

• Schedule an annual tune-up and inspection of your propane pool heater
• Have your exterior gas lines professionally inspected to ensure there are no leaks or other damage
• Inspect / tune-up your outdoor propane appliances (fire pits, torches, patio heaters, gas grills, and other outdoor living equipment)

Home cooling system

• Schedule an annual tune-up
• Change air filters regularly (check them once every 30 days or so)
• Consider a professional duct cleaning if you detect a sour odor from your vents

Home heating system

• Consider having your furnace or boiler serviced and inspected (or upgraded) early to avoid the late summer / back to school rush
• If your heating oil tank is less than half full, schedule an offseason heating oil delivery to prevent condensation and tank rot

Thermostat

• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees when people are home for the best balance of comfort and energy savings. Allow the temperature to rise when no one is home, or when people are sleeping, to maximize savings.

Ceiling fans

• Reset the rotation of your fan blades to draw up cool air from the room (cooled air will naturally sink); moving air feels cooler, so using fans to complement your A/C will enable you do raise the thermostat a few degrees with no loss of comfort.

Vents

• Close HVAC vents in unused rooms
• Clear obstructions from vents to keep conditioned air moving

Doors

• Keep doors closed between conditioned and unconditioned spaces; check and replace seals around interior doors to keep cooled air from escaping
• Weatherize exterior doors to prevent warm outdoor air from entering the house

Windows

• Caulk exterior window frames to prevent air leaks
• Clear window tracks so windows seal properly

Window treatments

• Consider adding window treatments that reflect light to reduce solar gain; you can learn more about efficiency-enhancing window hacks here

Generator

• If you have a whole house generator, have it professionally serviced so it is ready to run at a moment’s notice
• Run it at least once for a minimum of half an hour in advance of severe summer storm season
• Fill it with propane – enough to last at least one week in the event of a power outage.

Water Heater

• Drop the temperature of the water heater thermostat to about 115 degrees; you won’t need the extra heat during the summer (default settings are often 130-140 degrees); every 10 degrees you lower the temperature, you’ll save 3-5 percent on your bill, says the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Consider upgrading your conventional water heater to a tankless propane water heater to save even more money.

Attic

• *Strongly consider adding insulation to help stabilize temperatures and reduce air leaks in your home; you can get some guidance on where and how much insulation to install here.

Alarms

• Test all alarms – smoke, CO, radon detectors, etc., replacing batteries if needed

Fireplace / Wood Stove

• Close the damper to prevent cooled air from entering through the chimney
• Have your hearth equipment professionally serviced (late summer)

Let Hocon make your summer better with expert inspections and service for your propane appliances! With a full line of Home Comfort Membership options available, we’ll keep your propane-powered CT home running like clockwork all summer long. Contact us today to learn more!