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Flipping the Switch

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Do you turn off your thermostat or burner?

For many of us turning off your heat is a welcomed break from the cold and the start of warmer weather. When it comes to turning off your heat for the summer there are a few things your should consider before your flip the switch.

All oil burning homes will have a emergency oil burner switch in the home, usually found at the top of the stairs that head down to the basement. There is a switch that can be found on the heating system itself that will also turn off your heating system. This can be used as the turn off for the heating season switch, when you're familiar with your home's heating demands. New homeowners who aren't familiar with the way your heating system works shouldn't use this method as a way to turn off your heat for the season. 

Many homes use an indirect water heater for the home's hot water, this uses the boiler or furnace's heat to heat your hot water. During the winter months this is essentially free hot water as your heating system is running to keep your home warm. During the summer months you'll notice you're heating system kicking down, usually after a shower, laundry, or running the dishwasher. This type of water heater requires you to keep your heating system on.

For those with an indirect water heater or those who are unfamiliar with their system you can turn off your heating system or effectively turn it off through your thermostat. Those with a dial thermostat, simply turn the dial to the lowest temperature. Programmable thermostats give you the option to turn off your scheduling or turn off the signals to the heating system to turn on the heat. Usually there is a switch that can be set to Heat, Cool, or Off. Flip the switch to off and you're done.  Smart thermostats like the Nest can be placed into off mode.

Turning off your thermostat shouldn't be used if you have central air conditioning or a mini-split that is hooked up to your thermostat.
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