As soon as the cold weather sets in, most homeowners see a drastic increase in their utility bills, and many try a range of tactics to reduce them.
Some strategies are sound, for instance, ensuring the home is correctly insulated and all gaps sealed to stop cold from coming in and heat from escaping. On the other hand, there are some supposed money-saving techniques that are sadly misguided.
Mentioned below are some commonly held furnace myths:
Myth: Shut your vents to slam off heat
Fact: It is almost rational to shut the vents to rooms if you do not require it to be heated up, but the furnace distributes heat evenly all through your home no matter what.
Closing the vents to vacant rooms only makes your furnace work harder and less competently, therefore, it is better to keep them open to keep air flowing without restraint.
Myth: All you require is efficiency
Fact: Having an efficient system is important if you are trying to reduce your bills, but it does not mean anything if your home is not optimized for heating.
Apart from checking your insulation around windows and doors, get in touch with an HVAC expert to fix leaks, inspect ductwork, and keep the warm air inside.
Myth: Your furnace filter only requires changing once a year
Fact: There is a common belief that a furnace air filter requires changing only during your annual furnace maintenance appointment.
However, it is important to keep in mind that a filter is a very significant part of protecting the interior components of your heater from becoming dusty and damaged.
Myth: Your home will warm up faster if you crank up the thermostat
Fact: Even though you feel like you are making it happen quicker, in reality, you are not. The crosswalk sign would not turn any quicker, and your heater will warm the house up at the same rate no matter whether or not you crank the thermostat.
Some people even forget that they have cranked the thermostat, so it ultimately wastes energy running until someone notices.
Myth: Maintenance is not mandatory
Fact: If you do not want to allow small problems to turn into large bills; then regular maintenance is essential to keeping the furnace in top shape. Many homeowners wrongly think that maintenance is something that is just a luxury and that it is not something all furnaces require.
However, this is not true, as no matter how much or little you use your furnace in the winter, it needs to be tuned up.
You can plan seasonal maintenance to ensure that your system is in the best condition, as this will also help you get the best performance.
Remember that maintenance is a precautionary service that prevents any needless repairs, prevents emergency system breakdowns, and keeps your furnace secure.
So, before you go ahead and look for the best furnaces for sale, make sure that you understand these common myths about the furnace.