You Need to Know These Energy Myths

Are you interested in energy-efficient practices in your home? Most of us are these days, and that means now and then we need to examine what we believe works and doesn’t work as far as actually lowering our energy bills. Take a look at the following energy myths and see if you subscribe to any of them. If so, it’s time to reset your thinking, dispel the myths and move on to greater savings.

The Straight Story on Some of Our Favorite Energy Myths

1. Turning the thermostat way up or way down will cool us off/warm us up faster.

When you turn your central air conditioner or furnace on, the same amount of air is produced regardless of how high or low you set the thermostat. What will happen if you set your thermostat way up or way down is that the system will run a very long time and possibly waste energy.

2. Ceiling fans make your home cooler.

Ceiling fans don’t actually lower the temperature. They make us feel cooler by moving the air around and, as perspiration evaporates on our skin, we feel a wind chill effect. This effect allows us to run the air conditioner lower than we would otherwise need to so we can save energy.

3. It’s better to keep the heat on all the time at a low thermostat setting than to turn it off.

This myth is actually true — sometimes. But the real answer is: it’s complicated. In our climate, we can’t really turn off the heating in the dead of winter or we run the risk of pipes freezing in our homes. However, there may be times when your home is unoccupied and outdoor temperatures are chilly but above freezing. That’s when you might be able to turn the heat off and save energy for a spell. Also, if your home is well insulated, it may hold heat quite a while so that you can actually turn the furnace off for short periods in winter.

To learn more about energy myths, contact C.R. Wolfe Heating and Air Conditioning of Middletown.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy myths and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.