With all the bad and conflicting information floating around online these days regarding HVAC systems, it can be difficult discerning what is fact from what is fiction.
Because some homeowners fall prey to inaccurate information about how best to use their heating and cooling systems, we at Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning decided to do a little bit of myth busting this week, listing below some of the more common myths:
Myth #1: Increasing the Temperature Higher Will Heat the Home Faster
If it’s super cold outside and our home isn’t as warm as we’d like, it can be tempting to attempt to crank the heat up well past your desired temperature level to try speed up the warming process. Unfortunately, this doesn’t do anything but cause the furnace to keep working after your home reaches the desired temperature. Unless a homeowner owns a multi-stage system, a furnace always works at max capacity when turned on — regardless of what temperature level the thermostat is set to. As such, there’s never a legit reason to set the temp higher than what you’re actually wanting.
Myth #2: Newer Homes Are More Energy Efficient Than Older Ones
Even though a home is made with energy efficiency in mind doesn’t mean that certain things won’t become overlooked from time to time. Examples include insulation and air sealing. Most new homes only get minimum insulation values, which can be a lot less than our winter climate calls for and air sealing (which seals the holes that your conditioned air can escape through), is rarely done. Both can have a major impact on the overall energy efficiency and comfort of a home. However without both of them, it makes the age of the home irrelevant as the system will have to work a lot harder to provide the same level of comfort.
Myth #3: Shutting Registers & Vents Helps Reduce Heating & Cooling Bills.
It might seem counterintuitive. Nonetheless, closing air vents and registers does not work the way you’d think. For starters, HVAC systems are set up so that air pressure stays even and balanced throughout the home with all the supply vents being opened. As such, closing vents throws off this balance and simply doesn’t save you money as it adds strain to the system.
As such, experts agree it’s best to keep everything open the way it should be for best results.
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To learn more about home HVAC systems, or to find out what your system is or is not doing properly call Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning today at (740) 625-2320 or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
