When it comes to heating your home, you want to keep it as comfortable as possible, while spending as little as possible on your heating bills. You may have tricks up your sleeve as to how to achieve this; we are here to tell you some things you may think about cost-efficient heating are untrue. The following are five commonly believed heating myths:
1. Your home will warm up faster if you crank up the thermostat.
When you return home on a cold winter day, you may head straight to the thermostat and crank it up as high as it can go in order to warm the house as fast as possible. Hate to break it to you, but the furnace won’t pump out heat any faster, it will just pump heat out longer to reach the desired temperature. You may also forget to turn it down once the house has reached a comfortable temperature, which can cost you.
2. You will save money if you run space heaters throughout your home rather than running the gas heating system.
Many homeowners looking to save money on energy bills use several space heaters in the most occupied rooms and turn off the heating system. In theory, this would be correct, but think about it: Your space heaters need to be plugged in, meaning they eat up electricity. Electricity is significantly less efficient than gas and significantly more expensive. Using electricity for heating can cost up to five times more than using your gas furnace.
3. Ceiling fans are only for cooling your home in the summer.
While it’s true, ceiling fans help reduce the temperature in your home on a hot summer day, but they can also increase energy efficiency in the winter. Turn it on and make sure it spins clockwise; this will force warm air down, actually making your home feel warmer.
4. You will save a lot of money if you replace your windows.
Leaks in windows let heat escape, wasting a lot of energy and increasing costs, so it makes sense that replacing your windows will save money, right? New windows can cost thousands, and often you can plug smaller leaks with sealants, that cost way less. Add insulation and seal holes around vents, wall sockets, windows and doors. This may be more effective than purchasing pricey new windows.
5. The best way to cut down energy costs is with a new EnergyStar water tank.
Energy efficiency ratings shouldn’t be ignored, but often the size and settings of appliances is more important. Instead of throwing out your perfectly good water heater for the big new thing, lower the temperature. Keeping it at about 120 degrees will already save you money, while still providing you with the hot water you need.
Courtesy of Fox News
