Fall HVAC advice comes with its fair share of energy-saving hoaxes that can increase your electricity bill. Keep your Columbia, Maryland, home warm this fall and winter without believing any of this false information.
Energy Saving Hoax #1: Closing Vents Will Cut Energy Costs
When a professional service technician installed your HVAC system, he or she sized it a specific way. It blows a certain amount of air through your house to adequately heat your home. The air handler doesn’t reduce the amount of air it heats or produces if you close vents in one room. Instead, you could create extra pressure in the rest of your house. As a result, the blower has to work harder.
If you want to heat and cool rooms separately, you need to zone your HVAC system. Zoned systems have several thermostats, and they’re capable of varying your HVAC system’s heating and cooling capacity.
Energy Saving Hoax #2: A Higher Thermostat Setting Heats Your House Faster
Some people believe that setting the thermostat higher — for example, to 80 degrees instead of 72 — will heat their house more quickly. They also think doing so will reduce the amount of time the furnace has to run, which will save them energy.
The fact is that your furnace heats at the same rate, whether the thermostat is set to 60 degrees or 80. The difference is how long it runs.
When the thermostat tells the furnace that the house is the correct temperature, the HVAC system shuts off. It’ll take a lot longer to reach 80 degrees than 60, and you’ll waste energy with this tactic.
Energy Saving Hoax #3: A Professional Fall Furnace Tuneup is Unnecessary
If your furnace is an energy leech, it probably needs maintenance. Mechanical problems, fuel leaks and dirty components all lead to inefficient operation. Start by scheduling a professional fall tuneup. Remember to ask your service technician about how you can save more energy this winter.
Schedule heating maintenance with Griffith Energy Services today by calling 888-474-3391. Our honest team is standing by to work hard on your heater.
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