At this time of the year, many unpaid experts seem to appear out of the woodwork. These self-proclaimed experts claim to have excellent ideas keeping your home warm in the winter. The problem is that some of these people are remarkably uninformed about energy saving tips. The purpose of this article is to look at some of the popular home heating myths they dish out and dispel them.
The fireplace fallacy
Some experts regularly tell us that a wood fire place is a great way to heat your home. The truth is that the wood fireplace is bad for your bank account. Wood is expensive and buying this commodity regularly is likely to dent your wallet. In addition, your fireplace eats up oxygen and this is not particularly healthy for your heated indoor air.
The programmable thermostat myth
The programmable thermostat sets the temperature automatically for but this is something you can easily do yourself. While it is very convenient for a machine to set the temperature for you, this option does not necessarily save you money. For a start, most of these devices cost $50-$500. There is also the fact this device can malfunction sometimes. When this happens, your energy bill will definitely head north. To prevent this unpleasant eventuality, set your thermostat yourself and save your money.
Crank it up
This is definitely one of the most popular home heating myths out there. According to this myth, setting your thermostat to 85 degrees will heat the home faster for you. This is a misconception because your furnace switch is just like a light switch; it is either on or off. Cranking it up will only result in a waste of money and a waste of energy.
Always leave it on
This myth tells us to keep our homes at a certain temperature even if we are not home. Common sense tells us that this is a huge waste of money. Heat your homes when you are home and turn off the heating system when you are not home to enjoy the warmth.
Change your windows
It is true that replacing drafty windows with efficient ones will help you save money but you have to look at the cost benefit analysis. Good windows cost big money. Now, if you shell out big bucks only to save $250-$850 a year, your economics is not quite spot on. It is better to look at cheaper options before rushing to replace your windows.
Final word
There are many home heating myths flying around but you do not have to believe them. Learn to distinguish between myth and reality. Better still, follow us for more articles that will keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently.
