There’s plenty of misinformation circulating these days about heating and air conditioning. Saving energy is hard enough without being equipped with the correct facts. The good news is that most HVAC myths are easily dispelled. Following are some of the most common.
Myth: Turning lights, fans, computers and other electrical devices on and off wastes more energy than just leaving them on.
Truth: When a device isn’t using electricity, it’s saving energy (and money). Turn off that light when you leave the room, and power down the computer if you’re not going to use it for a while.
Myth: You’ll save on energy if you leave your heating (or cooling) running at the same temperature all the time, rather than adjusting it up and down during the day.
Truth: Common sense comes through again. There’s no good reason to leave your thermostat at 70 degrees, heating an empty house, all day in February while you’re at work. Use a programmable thermostat to input setbacks that match your daily schedule. Also consider setting it back several degrees at night when you’re sleeping.
Myth: The main purpose of your furnace filter is to maintain indoor air quality.
Truth: While cleaning the air is an important function of mid- to high-efficiency air filters, the main goal of any HVAC filter is to keep dust and other particulates from getting into system components and compromising performance and efficiency. (Don’t forget to check and change the filter frequently.)
Myth: You can save energy by closing off unoccupied parts of the house. While it’s probably OK to close the vents in one or two small rooms, avoid doing any more than that. Your HVAC system is designed to work in your particular home, and reducing the area it serves will lead to energy waste, unnecessary stress on components and inefficient operation. The force of air in “dead-end ducts” may also spring leaks in ductwork.
For the straight answers about saving energy in your Lorain area home, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about saving energy and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area