Lightning never strikes in the same place twice. Bats are blind. And we only use 10 percent of our brains.
What do these statements have in common? Each one is false. In fact, lightning can strike the same place twice, bats have better vision than humans (they just don’t see color), and we use most of our brain matter while asleep and awake. What’s the point of this little exercise? Well, to show you that if perpetuated long enough, a myth can eventually “become” a fact.
Here are 5 home myths that could be costing you more to heat your home while putting unnecessary wear and tear on your furnace.
Myth – Leave the thermostat at a consistent setting day and night.
Fact – Maintaining a consistent temp day and night makes sense if your home is occupied 24/7. However, if it’s empty for several hours at a time, it can still be warmed but at a lower level. This is where a programmable thermostat comes in handy.
Myth – Spike the temp on the thermostat to heat your home up faster, then lower it to the desired setting.
Truth – Your home will heat up just as quickly if you set the thermostat to the desired temperature in the first place. If you want your home nice and toasty by the time you get home, program the thermostat to increase the temp by a few degrees just before you are due to arrive. Smart home enabled models even allow you to make changes on the fly.
Myth – Ceiling fans are useless during cold weather months.
Fact – A ceiling fan can do much more than collect dust in the off season. In fact, when run slowly in reverse (clockwise), the blades push warm air that’s trapped near the ceiling toward the center of the room. This allows you to turn the thermostat down by a couple of degrees, lowering your utility bills.
Myth – Keep vents and return registers closed in unoccupied rooms.
Fact – While it may sound like closing them off pushes warm air into occupied rooms, it actually prevents warm air from being distributed evenly throughout your home, putting added stress on your furnace which translates into higher energy consumption and utility costs.
Myth – Annual furnace maintenance isn’t necessary.
Fact – Forgoing annual maintenance could leave your heating system vulnerable to decreased efficiency, more frequent repairs, premature system failure, and can even void your manufacturer’s warranty.
Here at Optimum Air, we’ll be happy to answer all your home heating questions for your maximum comfort and convenience. Also, please call to schedule preventive maintenance if it’s been a year or longer since this valuable service has been performed.