Thanks to the excess of information regarding home energy savings practices buzzing about the Internet, it’s often difficult to discern the facts from the myths. While some practices are merely common sense, others sound so out of left field that it’s hard to believe they’d actually work. In order to help you determine which practices to use in your home, we’ve done a little myth busting of our own.
Myth: Use duct tape to seal holes and cracks in leaky ducts.
Fact: Despite its name, duct tape should not be used to seal any part of your duct system. It won’t hold up for any length of time, and isn’t intended to. Rather, use duct mastic or metal tape to seal holes in leaky ducts.
Myth: Appliances do not consume energy when switched off.
Fact: “Vampire” appliances are deemed so for two reasons. First of all, they use small amounts of energy even when supposedly turned off. For example, DVD players, air conditioners and blow dryers continually use energy even when they’ve been turned off. To ensure your appliances aren’t consuming energy, unplug them or turn off the power strip they’re plugged into.
Myth: Energy-efficient appliances use less energy.
Fact: This statement is true – but only when your appliances have been properly sized and installed. If your top-of-the-line, energy-efficient air conditioner has been installed improperly, it can blow through just as much energy as an old clunker of a system – even if it’s brand new. Be sure your new appliances are installed by experienced professionals only.
Myth: Insulating your home will cause greater heat transfer through windows
Fact: Somewhere along the line, someone said insulation increases pressure inside a home, forcing warm air to escape in other places such as windows – and people believed it. Not only is the statement not true, thorough home insulation and sealing will slow down thermal energy transfer in all areas of the home.
Here at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, helping you save energy – and money – is one of our top priorities. If you have any other questions about energy savings practices, or for any other home comfort concerns, please feel free to contact us today. We provide quality HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
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 energy savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area