Winter is officially upon us and we think that this would be a good time to dispel some common home heating myths that are working against your comfort.
Fireplaces heat your home
This one will come as a shocker to most, but cranking up the fireplace will only make your heater work harder in the end. Have you ever noticed that the back rooms feel colder when the fire is going? While the fireplace may keep the living room warm, when the fire is burning it constantly pulls the air out of your house and sends it up the chimney. To top it off, you cant close the flue on a wood burning fire place until the fire is completely extinguished and this is like leaving a window open in the middle of the night.
You should close off vents in unused rooms to save energy
Although it may sound like a good idea, closing off vents in unused rooms can cause many issues for your system. AC and heating systems function best when the air flow is balanced. Closed vents throw off the balance and the unit has to work harder to heat or cool your home. This extra work can lead to higher bills, unnecessary repairs, and moisture issues.
Your ceiling fan is only for summer
It sounds crazy, but your ceiling fan can help heat your home. The hot air hangs out up high near the ceiling. By switching your ceiling fan to a clockwise rotation and turning it to low speed, you can pull some of that hot air down and circulate it around yourself.
Turn the thermostat up high to heat the house quicker
Your heating system works at the same speed if you have the thermostat set to 68 or 98 degrees. If you set it too high, you run the risk of over heating the house and then having to open a door or even turn the AC on to get comfortable. Set your thermostat to a temperature that is comfortable to you, typically this means 68-72 degrees in the winter time
