Debunking Common Furnace Myths: What You Need to Know
Your furnace is what creates warm air to keep you and your family comfortable in your home even when temperatures outside begin to drop in the winter. Everyone wants their furnace to run as efficiently as possible while getting their money’s worth on every energy bill, and there are many tips and tricks posted online on what you can do to save money and keep your home warm.
However, with these tips and tricks comes a handful of myths that can potentially do more harm than good. Adequate research is important in making sure that you are taking proper care of your home’s furnace while also safely saving money each month.
What are some of these furnace myths out there that you need to avoid as a homeowner? In this discussion, we will go over 6 of the most common furnace myths, why they are not factually correct, and what you can do to remedy the situation if you have fallen victim to one of these myths.
1. Turning Up the Thermostat Will Heat Your Home Faster
We have all done this at one point or another, where we come home from a busy day and crank the thermostat higher to try and warm the home faster when it is chilly outside. However, heating your home does not work like that. How long it takes to increase the temperature in your home is not based on the thermostat setting, but rather it depends on the distribution of that heated air throughout your home.
The hot air created by your furnace travels through the ducts and vents throughout your home, and this distribution cannot be adjusted to go faster or slower. Turning up the temperature on your thermostat will not make the heating process quicker—it will only cause your furnace to run longer to reach the new temperature setting. This makes your furnace use a lot more energy and can actually increase the cost of your energy bill each month.
If you want your home to be nice and warm when you get home from work, a better alternative would be to invest in a smart thermostat that you can control remotely. This way, you can increase the thermostat an hour or so before you get home so your furnace has time to do its thing before you get home, and you get to come home to a warm and welcoming space.
2. Closing Vents in Unused Rooms Saves Energy
At first glance, this seems like a great idea. If you are not using certain rooms in your home, why would you spend the money to heat them? The reality is your furnace and HVAC system don’t necessarily work like that.
The idea is that the ducts and vents in your HVAC system circulate the air throughout your home to create an even distribution of heat that maintains a consistent temperature. Closing a vent does not prevent the air from moving through the ducts and trying to get into that room, but it does create an uneven temperature throughout your home which can throw off your entire HVAC system.
Uneven heating throughout your home can throw off the thermostat reading, which in turn throws off your heating system. This could lead to your furnace running more than it needs to in order to get to the right temperature reading, which will actually cost you more money in your energy bills.
3. A Bigger Furnace is Better
Bigger is better, isn’t it? For your home furnace, this is not true. Your furnace needs to match the size and layout of your home as closely as possible in order to maximize efficiency and extend the lifespan of your furnace. Like Goldilocks, it needs to fit just right.
If you go for the largest furnace that you can find, it may heat your home too quickly. How is this a bad thing? Well, heating too quickly can cause your furnace to have to turn on and off rapidly without an adequate break in between. Known as short cycling, this puts excessive strain and wear on your furnace, which in turn makes your furnace more likely to break and shorten its overall lifespan. Your home will be warm, but at the cost of expensive furnace repairs and replacements over time.
On the other end of the spectrum, a furnace that is too small will struggle to efficiently heat the space and need to run continuously. This will also lead to a higher energy bill and excessive wear and tear on your furnace. Choose a furnace that is the right size for your home—at Semper Fi, we can help!
4. Restoring An Old Furnace Saves Money
When money gets tight, the natural response is to try and cut corners to save little bits of money here and there. While a cheaper furnace may save you money in the short run, it may become more expensive over time with repeated repairs. Restoring an old furnace also puts you at a greater risk of catastrophic breakdowns and repetitive repairs. Investing in a newer furnace is a bigger chunk of change up front, but its reliability and energy efficiency will save you more money in the long run.
5. Space Heaters Are More Effective
If you want to warm a specific spot in your home, many people opt for a portable space heater to keep warm without turning up the thermostat in your home. The idea is that doing this is not only more effective in heating the space, but it will also save you money on your energy bill since you are not running the furnace excessively.
Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. Portable space heaters still plug into the electricity in your home and use that to heat your space, so the energy-saving capabilities are not that substantial. Plus, these types of heaters can quickly become dangerous if left unattended.
In addition, a cold spot in your home could indicate a more serious issue. Your system reads the temperature throughout your home and adjusts how much the furnace is running to maintain the temperature you set the thermostat to. If there are cold spots in your home, it can be a sign that there is something wrong with your ductwork or home insulation.
6. Furnace Maintenance Is Optional
If there is nothing wrong with your furnace, why would you pay to have an HVAC company come to your home and take a look at it? Why fix something that isn’t broken, right? This line of thinking can quickly lead to critical problems with your furnace that will cost a pretty penny. Even when your furnace is running smoothly, a routine furnace tune-up is crucial in making sure it stays that way.
Think of these appointments like a check-up at the doctor. Even if you feel healthy, doing routine check-ups at the doctor can help catch potential hidden issues and warning signs of more serious problems later on if they are not addressed accordingly. It’s the same idea with your furnace. Routine maintenance can check for any minor issues and keep your system running safely and efficiently even in the middle of winter.
Trust Semper Fi Heating & Cooling For All Your HVAC Needs
With the internet at our fingertips, it can be tough at times to determine what is factual and what is a myth. While you do not have to become an HVAC aficionado overnight, knowing the basics of how your furnace works can keep your home toasty throughout the year and prevent serious furnace breaks or failures. Debunking these 6 furnace myths will keep your home safer and save you money in the long run.
Are you in need of an HVAC maintenance expert to help get your furnace in working order? Semper Fi Heating & Cooling is your team of certified HVAC professionals in the Metro Phoenix and Las Vegas areas. Whether you need a furnace repair or a furnace installation, no job is too big for our team. With over 1200 5-star reviews, working with Semper Fi Heating & Cooling will leave you with the peace of mind that we leave your furnace better than when we found it. Contact us today to get started!
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