The heat of summer is here. You need to take steps to keep your cooling costs down while keeping your home comfortable. That’s how you can see summer energy savings.
Here are four myths that may be driving up your cooling costs:
Myth #1: Turning the thermostat down will lower your home’s temperature faster.
Unless you have a variable speed fan that can crank up the speed when you lower the thermostat, this does not work. Most HVAC systems run on one speed and that is “on.” By cranking the temperature down further than you really need it, you won’t arrive at your target temperature any sooner, and will run the risk of forgetting to re-adjust the temperature when you arrive there. This can stress your system unnecessarily and leave you with a home that’s too cold.
Myth #2: Turn off the A/C when you are gone for the day.
This depends on the temperature outside. If you turn off the air conditioning in the morning on a day that’s destined to get extremely hot, then crank it on when you get home, that equipment is going to have to work long and hard to make your home comfortable again. This wastes energy and stresses system components. On a mild summer day, however, it does make sense from an energy-saving standpoint to turn off the A/C. A programmable thermostat will help you schedule energy-saving temperatures based on your daily and weekly schedule.
Myth #3: Run the ceiling fan in empty rooms to lower the temperature.
Ceiling fans do nothing to cool the room. The air the fans move makes a person’s skin feel cooler. This makes it possible for people to be comfortable at a higher temperature. All an operating ceiling fan accomplishes in an unoccupied room is burning energy and driving up your energy costs.
Myth #4: Closing vents to unused rooms is a good idea
Reality: Your A/C is balanced to cool your entire home. When you close vents in rooms to save energy, the A/C is still going to work just as hard to keep the home cool. The closed vents also can make the system work harder, which drives up your costs. Added pressure in ducts going toward closed-off rooms can open up air leaks at duct connections, as well.
Debunking these myths shows what works to give you summer energy savings and what does not. If you want more advice on saving energy this summer, please contact us at Griffith Energy Services, Inc. We serve the Baltimore area, along with communities throughout the region.
Written by Kevin Spain
