So many myths about winter home heating abound. While some can be costly, others are downright dangerous. Here are five you need to be aware of.
To heat the home faster, set your thermostat to the highest setting
While this is a widespread myth, the fact is furnaces and boilers deliver the heat at a similar rate irrespective of how you have set them. What you need to do is simply set the system at the right temperature for the unit to begin heating the room as rapidly as you can. Above all, avoid being motivated by lower temperatures to seek quick warmth at the expense of your unit.
For a lot of heat I need the largest heating system available
When it comes to upgrading a furnace or boiler, the choice of the right size is very important. Nonetheless, the heat output is what is being referred to here; not the measurement. In fact, an oversized heating system is not only expensive to manage but also inefficient. You need to know the right size that should meet your home heating requirements comfortably.
The heat should be turned off completely once I have left for a vacation
While you might want to save as much money on home heating and to protect your heating unit when you are gone, it is a big blunder to leave the heat turned off in the winter. The furnace or boiler should never be turned off since the pipes are known to freeze and harden and could explode or burst. It is not the kind of discovery you would like to make once you have arrived from a wonderful time in the sun. To be on the safe side, the thermostat can be turned to 55 degrees. Also, alert a neighbor, friend or family member to check on your furnace or boiler and other issues while you are away.
Having a couple of electric space heaters running is more affordable than having an oil-heat system for your home
Again, there are many reasons why this can happen or why you might be entertaining the thought. Nonetheless, in case you have turned into an electric kind of space heater simply because the furnace or oil-fired boiler is hardly working, call the technician immediately.
The brand name is the most important element while purchasing a heating unit
While this myth is absolutely false, many homeowners believe the HVAC equipment brand is the most important thing while purchasing it. Nonetheless, this is further from the truth because most of the heat pumps, air conditioners and furnace brands are mostly made by the same companies. Since the performance is the most central part of any heating unit, what matters is how the installation has been done and by whom. If the installing company does a shoddy job, the heating unit will be problematic from the beginning.
Other people think that ceiling fans should only be used during the summer only. What they do not know is that a ceiling fan can easily make a home very energy, efficient during the winter period.
