5 Common Home Heating Myths

Despite all our advancements in technology, disinformation continues to hinder efforts to conserve energy. Some people are going about it the wrong way because of home heating myths. These need to be exposed and debunked right away so that household can finally move on from their bad habits. Five of them are discussed below:

MYTH #1: Programmable thermostats are all you need to boost system efficiency.

Simply adding a programmable thermostat into the equation will not result in a drastic reduction in fuel costs. There are instances in fact wherein owners found an increase in consumption after their installation. This is probably due to less than ideal settings. Use the device to create a program that will mimic a highly vigilant person in monitoring and changing the settings. Make the most of sensors, if present, for automatic adjustments depending on current conditions.

MYTH #2: Higher temperature settings hasten the pace of heating.

When coming into a cold house, it may be tempting to try to get the home to warm quickly so that you can stop shivering. Just know that the pace of heating will not accelerate if the temperature is cranked higher. It will always stay constant with the only change being the end point which is an unreasonably hot room.

MYTH #3: The heater should not be turned on and off but instead run constantly.

There is nothing wrong with turning a heater off and on. This is often necessary if the residents regularly go out during the day. Since there is no one around, there is no sense in keeping the system running. The programmable thermostat may be set to turn on 15 to 30 minutes before the scheduled arrival to ensure a warm and comfortable environment.

MYTH #4: The fireplace is a good tool for augmenting the furnace.

Some people think that the fireplace can function in a similar capacity to electric fans when it comes to augmenting the HVAC system. Unfortunately, it is actually a poor source of heat that can be expensive as well. After all, you would have to purchase firewood if you don’t have a lot of trees in your backyard. It will use up the heated air in your house and send ashes through the chimney.

MYTH #5: Window replacement is a great way to make the house more energy efficient.

This should be at the bottom of the priority list given the cost of window replacements. Decades will pass before the savings gained can make up for the thousands of dollars spent.

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