We’re all familiar with the constant struggle to keep bills as low as possible. Today we are going to bust 3 home heating and cooling myths that could be costing you hundreds of dollars each year.
Myth 1: Cranking the Heat up Will Warm Up the Room Faster
For some reason, when we’re cold and want to turn the heat up in the room, our first instinct is to crank it up. It’s like somehow we think cranking it up an extra 10 degrees will somehow make the house heat up faster. In reality, all that does is abuse the HVAC system and creating more long term wear and tear that will come back to bite us in the long run. The HVAC system is going to heat up at the same rate, whether you turn it up 5 degrees or 15 degrees. So you really should just set it for the temperature you want and then wait patiently for the system to kick in and do its job. Anything else is just a waste of time and money.
Myth 2: I only Have to Insulate the Living Areas of my Home
Too many homes have poorly insulated attics, crawlspaces, and garages. You might be thinking, but I don’t live in those spaces so why do I need to bother insulating them? Ok, fair enough. But have you insulted the walls in between these spaces and the rest of your house so that expansive heat and air conditioning that your HVAC system is working so hard to produce isn’t being siphoned off through these uninsulated spaces? Too many people forget to insulate their attics, garages, and crawl spaces from the rest of the house to prevent all that expensive climate-controlled air from leaching out. Proper insulation will save you a lot of money in the long run, not just in energy bills, but also in HVAC maintenance. Insulating these escape points will reduce the strain on your HVAC system and potentially reduce your annual home heating and cooling costs.
Myth 3: It’s Normal for Attics to be Hot and Stuffy
Too many people associate attics with being hot and stuffy. That’s just how they are. But, that right there is perhaps the biggest myth of all. You’re attic shouldn’t be hot or stuffy. A hot attic not only damages the items stored inside it, but it also damages the roofing material above. It’s a breeding ground for mold and potentially harmful fumes. Ventilating your attic preserves the contents of your attic in addition to making your home a safer, healthier place for your family. Using a solar attic ventilation fan means you won’t even be adding to your monthly energy bill so the fan will quickly end up paying for itself.