Common misconceptions have circulated over the years about the best ways to heat your home. They are well-intentioned but often not well-researched. These heating myths can lead people to use inefficient heating practices that result in higher bills. It’s important to understand the differences between fact and fiction when it comes to home heating.
1. Shutting HVAC Vents in Unused Rooms Saves Energy
Many people believe that shutting vents in unused rooms will help reduce heating costs, but this can actually increase your power bills. HVAC systems are designed to heat your whole home and closing vents creates an imbalance in airflow. This imbalance forces the system to work harder and increase energy usage. Instead of closing individual vents, install or adjust butterfly HVAC dampers in the main duct line. This will allow your system to function as if there is no vent in that room.
2. Turning Up the Thermostat Heats Your Home Faster
It feels like cranking the thermostat higher than the temperature you want should make your home heat faster, but it doesn’t. Your heating system works at a constant rate so your system will only run longer, not faster. You’re more likely to end up with rooms that are too hot and higher energy bills to show for it. The best way is to set it to a comfortable level and wait for your system to do its job.
3. Ceiling Fans Won’t Help in Winter
When you call to mind a ceiling fan, you probably imagine being cooled off from the summer heat. A ceiling fan, correctly set to rotate clockwise, is great for helping to circulate warm air as it rises to the ceiling. This can help your home feel warmer without needing to force your HVAC system to work harder. Just remember to switch your fan rotation back to counterclockwise in the summer!
4. Space Heaters Are More Efficient
Space heaters are a great tool for providing extra warmth in a small space, but they can be expensive to operate as a primary heat source. A space heater may seem like it uses less energy than central heating, but it is not as efficient when used as a primary source of heat. Never try to heat your whole home with multiple space heaters. It will not be efficient or cheap!
5. Heat Pumps Don’t Work in Winter
Heat pumps work by extracting the heat from the outside air and transferring it into your home. The myth assumes that just because it’s cold outdoors, the pump won’t have heat to pull in. Modern models operate well below freezing (anywhere from -13 all the way to -22 degrees Fahrenheit). Even if it is too cold for us to be outdoors, there are still amounts of heat energy in the air.
Call Express C.O.D. and Keep Your Oil Tank Full
When it’s time for heating system maintenance or upgrade, call the experts at Tragar Home Services, our parent company. We offer extensive oil heat and gas heat system services. Tragar Home Services has been keeping Nassau County and Suffolk County residents comfortable for over 60 years. For information about heating system upgrades or scheduling a COD oil delivery, call Express C.O.D. today at (516) 221-2559.
