Nowadays there’s all kinds of conflicting information online regarding HVAC systems. Add this to the general lack of understanding that comes with the territory and it can be challenging at times discerning what is fact from what is misperception.
Because homeowners all too often fall prey to inaccurate information about how best to use their furnaces and how to save money optimizing their systems during the winter, we at Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling present the following:
Myth #1: Closing Registers & Vents Helps Decrease Heating Costs.
Although it might seem somewhat counterintuitive, shutting off your air vents and registers does not help. For one, furnaces are installed and set up precisely so that air pressure stays balanced all throughout the home with all the supply vents and registers open. Because of this and other considerations, closing vents throws off this intricate balance and doesn’t save money like you’d think. Plus it adds strain to the equipment. In any case, experts agree it’s best to keep everything open the way it should be for best results.
Myth #2: Cranking Up the Thermostat Will Heat the Home Faster
During the wintertime, when our home isn’t as warm as we’d hoped it to be, it can be tempting to crank up the thermostat far past your desired temperature level to try to rush or speed up the warming process. Regrettably, this isn’t helpful as it will cause the furnace to keep cranking out heat after your home reaches the desired temperature. Unless you own a multi-stage system, a furnace always works at max capacity when turned on — regardless of what temperature level the thermostat is set to. As such, there’s never a legit reason to set the temp higher than what you’re actually wanting.
Myth #3: Newer Homes Are More Energy Efficient Than Older Ones
Just because a newer home is made with energy efficiency in mind doesn’t mean that certain things don’t get neglected or overlooked from time to time. Examples include insulation and air sealing. Most new homes only get minimum insulation values, which can be a lot less than our winter climate calls for and air sealing (which seals the holes that your conditioned air can escape through), is rarely done. Both can have a major impact on the overall energy efficiency and comfort of a home. However without both of them, it makes the age of the home irrelevant as the system will have to work a lot harder to provide the same level of comfort.
Give us a call for all your HVAC needs!
For more information about home HVAC systems, or to find out what your system is or is not doing properly call Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling today at 513-540-1716, or click here to schedule an appointment now!
