These days, it’s common to see products and systems being advertised as “energy-efficient”. More and more people are drawn to the concept of saving energy, but that has also given rise to common myths and misconceptions about your HVAC system. Rather than just accepting such claims, it’s important to remain skeptical and always do your own research before committing to any so-called hacks or tips. Here are just a few of the common myths surrounding HVACs and energy savings, and the reasons why they’ve been disproven.
HVAC Myths
– Myth #1: You don’t need a check-up if nothing is broken. There seems to be a common belief that you can save time and money by skipping the annual inspection of your HVAC system by a professional. It’s understandable; if there are no apparent problems, why bother with an inspection? The keyword here is apparent. Annual inspections are important to make sure your system continues working properly without internal issues piling up unnoticed.
– Myth #2: Higher heat, faster results. There is a misconception that many people have heard before – the idea that turning your thermostat up to the highest setting will warm the room up faster. Unfortunately, this is not true. Your HVAC system will not work any faster, but it will end up working harder to heat the room up to the maximum temperature. Additionally, people sometimes forget to turn the thermostat back down to a comfortable temperature, which ends up wasting energy.
– Myth #3: A fan is all you need. Oftentimes, people might choose to only use a ceiling or box fan to cool down a room and save some money. However, fans do not actually lower the temperature of a room. Fans circulate the air, which can cool down the surface of your skin and make you feel refreshed, but they do not lower your core temperature since the temperature of the room does not change. It would be better in the end to just run the air conditioning as opposed to leaving fans plugged in all day.
– Myth #4: Close vents to save energy. At first, this myth makes perfect sense. The belief is that by closing the vents in unused rooms, cool or warm air will go to the other areas of the house and energy will be saved. However, this isn’t how it actually works. Closing the vents can lead to pressure build-ups and potential leaks, which will end up wasting energy and affecting the circulation of your entire house.
The important thing to remember is to conduct well-rounded research concerning claims made about how to save energy with your HVAC. If you need help or are interested in learning more, feel free to ask a professional.