Just about everyone likes to save money, especially during the holiday months where everything from shopping to home heating can get really expensive. Ideas for lowering heating bills range from the practical to the outrageous. It may come as a surprise that most tips and theories concerning home heating are purely myth and can actually increase your heating bill rather than lower it. Below are five of the most common home heating myths that you should avoid.
Use duct tape to seal leaky ducts
Despite its name, duct tape is a not a good choice for sealing off ducts. Duct tape does a poor job of sealing off ducts because it doesn’t work well in dusty or dirty areas. Use Mastic tape for a better seal and for better insulation.
Replacing windows will reduce energy loss
This is actually a true statement, especially if you have an older home. The problem with replacing windows to lower your heating bill is that most heat loss through windows is minimal. So, unless you have a gaping hole in your window from the neighbor’s baseball, replacing your older windows with expensive, energy-efficient ones will take decades to break-even financially. Seal leaky and drafty areas around windows yourself with a good sealant or weather stripping.
Turning up the thermostat
No one likes coming in from the cold just to come into a cold house. In response, most people crank up the thermostat to heat the home faster. The truth is that cranking the thermostat does nothing to heat a home faster. A furnace is like a light bulb, either it’s on or it’s off. Turning up a thermostat only tells the furnace to stay on longer, not burn hotter. In the end, you only lose money by having you heat on longer than necessary.
Shutting off vents will lower heating costs
Out of all the home heating myths out there, closing off vents is one of the most popular. Not only does it not lower your heating bill, it can cause serious damage to forced air heating systems. Leave all vents opened to maintain the proper balance of pressure throughout the system.
Lighting the fireplace heats a room
This is true to a certain point, but a fireplace loses most of its heat through the chimney and does little to heat an entire room without heaping on tons of expensive firewood. Use the fireplace for looks and setting moods.
Don’t believe everything you hear or read about your heating system and how to lower heating costs, unless it comes from a professional HVAC service company or technician. Follow us for more tips and information to keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently.
