To get the most out of your home heating system, you’ll need to understand how it works. You may be following certain home heating myths, but we advise you to stop believing them. Let’s look more closely at these misconceptions and learn the truth behind each one.
Myth One: Closed Vents Save Energy
Are there rooms in your house you don’t use often? Perhaps you’ve converted your adult child’s bedroom into a guest room that often sits empty, and you close the vents in that room to save money.
The truth is, you’re not saving any money or energy by doing that. In fact, closing vents in some rooms creates an imbalance of heat in the house and can place undue strain on your HVAC system.
Myth Two: Cranking the Thermostat Heats the Home More Quickly
If your house is cold and you want to warm it up right away, you may be tempted to turn your thermostat way, way up. That’ll heat your space quickly, right?
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Your thermostat will work at the same pace to heat your home whether you turn it up to 71 or 81. You can’t trick your system by turning the heat up extra high.
Myth Three: Space Heaters Are More Effective
Are you unsatisfied with the amount of heat your furnace is pumping out? Many folks place smaller space heaters around their homes in an effort to banish cold spots.
While space heaters are a great temporary solution, they’re going to be more expensive in the long run. If you’re unhappy with your furnace’s heating power, call a residential HVAC contractor to look at your system and recommend more permanent solutions for better whole-home heating.
Myth Four: Ceiling Fans Are for Summer Only
When the weather gets colder, you may be tempted to shut off all the ceiling fans in your house. The thought process behind this myth is that all fans make rooms colder.
In truth, ceiling fans do a great deal to move cold and warm air around your home. Instead of turning the fan off completely, switch its rotation from counter-clockwise to clockwise. A fan that rotates clockwise will pull cold air up and push warm air down, helping to circulate warm air around your living space.
Myth Five: Bigger Is Always Better
If your home isn’t heated to your liking, you may start shopping for an oversized HVAC system to heat your space quickly. A bigger system means more heat, right?
Oversized heating and cooling systems can be much more expensive in the long run. A system that’s too big for the house it’s heating will run shorter cycles and be less reliable than one that’s fitted to the size of your home.
We at First Goal Heating and Cooling recommend that you stop believing these home heating myths. If you have questions about how to heat your home efficiently, Our HVAC contractors can identify your home’s unique needs and recommend tailored solutions.
