Like the headlines on supermarket tabloids, some common HVAC myths should be taken with more than a grain of salt. Unlike far-fetched tales that are simply material for light entertainment, however, common HVAC myths can increase monthly expenses, lower overall household comfort level, and degrade indoor air quality. Here are some tall tales about heating and cooling you may have heard before — and the actual facts:
- Setting the thermostat way up (or down) heats (or cools) the house faster. Not so: Every furnace or air conditioner has a specific, fixed Btu capacity, which isn’t altered by extreme thermostat settings. The units will continue to deliver heat — or remove heat — at the same rate no matter how far you push the thermostat up or down.
- Closing vents in unused rooms saves energy. Actually, your furnace or A/C doesn’t know whether all vents in the house are open or not. The system produces the same volume of heated or cooled air. What closing vents can do, however, is disrupt the critical balance of supply and return airflow. Temperatures in the house become inconsistent — some rooms are too warm and some are too chilly — and overall HVAC operating costs rise.
- Larger furnaces and air conditioners are better. Actually, both undersized and oversized units waste energy, deliver poor performance and tend to have shorter service life. For optimum energy efficiency, the lowest operating cost, and consistent temperature control, the Btu capacity of HVAC units must be properly “sized” to meet the home’s unique characteristics. This requires a professional load calculation to determine the exact heating/cooling capacity for optimum results.
- Changing the air filter only once a year saves money. In reality, clogged, dirty air filters cause the furnace or A/C to run extended cycles, drastically increasing energy consumption and raising monthly bills far more than the cost of replacing the air filter regularly. A clogged filter also means poor air quality and can also cause excessive system wear and tear, requiring expensive component replacement. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations and replace the system air filter at least every other month.
Heard any common HVAC myths lately? Get the real facts from the professionals at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area