The heat in Texas in the summer has many homeowners retreating to the comfort of air conditioning. And it’s around this time, when energy bills are often on the rise, that homeowners look to make their homes more energy efficient to reduce utility costs. Unfortunately, energy savings myths can result in additional costs.
- Myth: Setting the temperature lower will help the home cool off faster. Most HVAC systems use a single speed air handler. This means that whether your air conditioning is set to 77 degrees or 47 degrees, the air within your home will move and be cooled at the same speed. Setting the temperature lower than needed can cost you more money as the air conditioner works to get to the lower temperature.
- Myth: Save money by turning off the air conditioning when you’re not home. Common sense says it doesn’t make sense to cool your home when no one’s there it enjoy it. However, the HVAC system uses a lot of energy to bring a hot house down to a comfortable temperature. Use a programmable thermostat, which can slowly cool your home just in time for your scheduled return home.
- Myth: Ceiling fans can cool rooms. Ceiling fans don’t have the ability to cool the air in a home. By moving the air, the fan creates the wind chill effect, giving people a sense of coolness. Because of this, ceiling fans are great compliments to air conditioning, but only if you remember to turn them off when you leave the room.
- Myth: Closing vents increases efficiency. HVAC systems are designed to cool and move air depending on the home’s size. Closing a vent doesn’t decrease the system’s capacity or workload. It only prevents air from moving into the room with the closed vent. Additionally, closing the vent can cause undue stress on your HVAC system.
For additional information on cooling your home more efficiently, contact the experts at Thermacon Service Company, Inc. today.
