Home energy myths aren’t folksy tales told around the fireside. They can be real money wasters and actually detract from your quality of life. Like urban legends that just won’t go away, home energy myths have a life of their own and are perpetuated, no matter how much evidence points to the contrary.
Make no mistake –not every issue is settled when it comes to the science of cooling and heating. However, some facts are well-established beyond doubt. Don’t be led astray from proven, effective home efficiency strategies by home energy myths like these:
Myth: High-efficiency air conditioners and furnaces are always money-savers.
Reality: High-efficiency HVAC units come at a higher upfront purchase price, but are expected to reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs. However, your system has to be correctly sized to the specific thermal requirements of your home to project savings. Your HVAC unit should be professionally installed to industry standards, and then maintained annually per manufacturer’s recommendations.
Myth: Cranking your thermostat all the way up (or down) heats (or cools) your home faster.
Reality: Furnaces and air conditioners don’t have overdrive. Your unit will always deliver the same heating and cooling capacity at the same rate whether your thermostat is set five degrees or 25 degrees above or below room temperature. However, cranking your thermostat up or down can greatly increase the odds of overshooting the comfort zone and making your house too hot or cold.
Myth: Leaving computers, light bulbs and other devices on consumes less energy than turning them off.
Reality: The tiny surge of energy required to power up today’s devices is not anywhere near the equivalent of the energy consumed by leaving them powered up at all times. So, make sure to turn off any devices you aren’t using.
Myth: Energy-efficient homes are more expensive.
Reality: The cost difference between energy-efficient materials and old school alternatives is negligible. Additionally, efficient construction often permits for smaller, less-expensive air conditioning and heating systems.
To debunk more home energy myths, talk to the heating and cooling professionals at Amarillo Air Conditioning in Amarillo.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Amarillo, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home energy myths and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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