With fall’s chill in the air, we’ll soon be calling on our home heating systems to keep us warm. Now’s a good time to go through a check-list of tips and rebates to help your system run at peak efficiency.

□ Have your existing heating system cleaned and inspected.
Because heating equipment is typically one of the largest energy users in a home, I recommend an annual cleaning and inspection before the coldest weather is upon us.

□ Consider an upgrade.
Is your furnace or boiler more than 20 years old? Today’s models are much more efficient. Take advantage of up to $1,000 in high-efficiency gas heating equipment rebates.

□ Do you heat with oil or propane?
We can help you upgrade your equipment even if you don’t heat with natural gas. Rebates of up to $500 are available to help offset the cost of an upgrade.

□ Take that extra step to save even more.
For customers with forced-hot-water heating systems fueled by oil or propane, a $100 rebate is available for installing a weather-responsive control. Known as a boiler reset or boiler water temperature control, it adjusts your heating system water temperature in relation to the outdoor temperature. These controls can reduce heating fuel usage by 10 – 20 percent.

□ Have your water heater inspected, too.
How old is your water heater? It may be time to upgrade to a high-efficiency indirect unit. Rebates of up to $300 are available to offset the cost.

For more information about heating system rebates or for additional energy saving tips, click on "Energy Efficiency" in the left-hand side menu above. In my next column, I’ll highlight all of the rebates available to help our customers save money on a variety of energy efficient products.