Like most people, you are probably familiar with the age-old saying, “Don’t believe everything you read.” This applies to pretty much anything, and the HVAC industry is no exception. Whether from old wives tales or people who think they know it all, there are plenty of myths out there about the field of heating and cooling. As one of Clearwater’s most reliable hvac maintenance companies, we have heard them all.
You may have even been subjected to a few of them. Everyone is quick to offer advice on how to save money and cut back on utility bills, but how do you know what information to trust? While some suggestions are blatantly obvious, others can seem to be backed by only a small bit of truth.
Common Heating and Cooling Myths
Since following incorrect advice is never a wise choice, the HVAC experts at Cox Air would like to take this opportunity to debunk some of the top prevailing fallacies.
Things like closing off air vents and registers as a means of cutting back on your energy costs are simply incorrect. This will do nothing more than restrict airflow, thereby keeping your home from warming up and potentially causing your furnace to go haywire. It may appear logical, but your heating system is designed in a way that necessitates an even pressure load. Impeding that forced air will only serve to increase the strain on already over-worked (and very expensive) equipment!
Another misconception is that you can use ceiling fans in place of your air conditioner to effectively cool your home. Please note that the only purpose a fan serves is to promote airflow. It makes us feel more comfortable but does nothing to increase or decrease ambient room temperature.
Lastly, and this is a problem our technicians come across often, is the belief that turning an air conditioner (window-based or central system unit) on and off for shorter durations is cheaper than letting it run continuously. The exact opposite is true, actually! These devices consume the bulk of their energy load during the initial start-up phase, much like a diesel engine. So do yourself and your wallet a big favor by keeping the A/C on.
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