Rumors and myths confuse us when it comes to our central heating and air systems. Sometimes, one rumor contradicts the other and it’s easy to get overwhelmed or follow bad advice. The good news is the Air Specialty team has put together a top-five list to help you avoid the most common missteps related to urban legends, old wives’ tales and flat-out falsehoods.
Top 5 Ways Homeowners are Misled to Cool or Heat their Homes:
You should keep your thermostat on the same temperature throughout the day
The strategy here suggests keeping your home’s temps at the same temp all day (even when you’re not home), because it will cost you more to cool down or heat up. The fact is, you can save money if you use a programmable thermostat and adjust your indoor temps so your central heating and air system do not work so hard when you’re not around. You can set your programmable thermostat to adjust your indoor temps to your optimal levels an hour before you get home for optimal comfort. Added bonus: you also reduce your monthly energy bills.
Duct tape works to seal air ducts
While duct tape has the rep as a tough-sticking tape, it actually is not a great solution for sealing air ducts. Duct tape tends to peel and lose its stickiness quickly. Your professional central heating and air expert is the best resource to help properly seal your air ducts.
Windows are where you lose most of the cold (or warm) air of your home
While you do lose some air from your windows, it’s not the place where you lose the most air. In the average home, most of your central heating and air escapes through poor insulation and air leaks in the walls, ceiling and roof.
The bigger, the better when it comes to choosing a new air conditioner
It may seem counterintuitive, but the biggest air conditioning unit does not necessarily result in the coolest home. The oversized unit will likely have frequent on and off cyclings which can create excess humidity in your home. This is called “short cycling” and creates stress on your AC unit.
Fans and ceiling fans can help take the load off your central heating and air unit
While fans create a wind chill effect and help you feel cooler, they don’t actually lower the temperature. They do help you feel more comfortable and you can raise the temperature on your thermostat a couple degrees to save money.
Central Heating and Air Experts in Mobile – Air Specialty
Air Specialty has led the HVAC industry for over 50 years, proudly serving Mobile and the surrounding communities. For answers to your frequently asked central heating and air questions, reach out to one of our customer-oriented, NATE-certified technicians. We’ll be happy to share our deep knowledge with you during a service visit. We specialize in maintenance, repairs as well as new unit installations. If you think an upgrade is on the horizon, call us for a free estimate. We also offer finance options so you can enjoy energy savings and greater comfort today. Contact Air Specialty to schedule an appointment now.