HVAC Myths You Shouldn’t Believe

Pretty much every home in Utah has an HVAC system—either a furnace, an air conditioner, or in most cases, both—but that doesn’t mean everyone in Salt Lake City is an expert on these systems. Some of you may have heard about these myths regarding your air conditioner and/or furnace from those less-than-experienced friends and family members, and while they may mean well when they tell you these things, it’s often better to listen to the experts and understand your system.

Fans Can Keep Rooms Cooler

Ceiling fans are a popular way for many people to cool their homes, but the problem is that ceiling fans don’t actually provide any cooling at all. They only move around the existing air in the room, and while moving air often does feel slightly cooler than stagnant air, it’s not the same as actually cooling your home with an air conditioner. Unfortunately if you’re buying into this myth, you’re spending more on your electricity bill every month without making the air any cooler.

There’s No Need for A/C and Furnace Inspections

This is a common myth, and while we know most people aren’t thinking about their A/C and furnace when it’s working properly, that’s actually the most important time that you should be thinking about it. Getting regular inspections from an HVAC expert means you can catch problems early and get them repaired before they become significantly more costly or difficult to fix.

Adjusting the Temperature Doesn’t Matter

There are actually myths and misunderstandings on both sides of the “temperature adjustment” debate—that is, adjusting the temperature down in the winter and up in the summer if you are going to be out of the house or asleep. Some believe that you won’t achieve enough in savings for it to matter and leave the temperature the same all the time, while others believe that you should turn it way down or way up to maximize savings.

The truth is that both extremes can be costly. Adjusting the temperature up in the summer and down in the winter when you’re not at home can help reduce energy used to cool or heat your home (and since you’re not there, you don’t need the house to be a comfortable temperature). However, adjusting it to one extreme or another—for example, setting your thermostat all the way down to 40 degrees in the winter or all the way up to 90 degrees in the summer—could actually end up costing you a lot more. While you will have some savings from not running the A/C or the furnace much during those times, your HVAC system will have to work much harder to get it back to a normal temperature when you do get home and that can erase any savings. Plus you run the risk of having your pipes freeze if your home is too cold in the winter, and if those pipes burst and flood your home it will be a lot more expensive than just keeping your home’s temperatures a little higher.

The best way to avoid falling into the traps of some common furnace and air conditioner myths is to talk to an expert HVAC company in Salt Lake City. Whenever you have questions about your system, call All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling to speak to someone who can help.