There are so many myths out there about optimizing home cooling systems
Summer is here at last. And while we’re excited about the longer days, the fireworks and the sunshine, the heat can get tiresome pretty quickly, especially now that we’re headed into July. Your home should be a refuge from the heat, and with the HVAC contractors at Tri-Elite Advisors on your side, it can be. We offer professional HVAC services, but we also know how important it is to have the information you need. That’s why we’ve set out to debunk some of the most common myths about home cooling:
Myth #1 Closing vents you aren’t using is a good way to save energy
This is one of the most widely repeated HVAC myths, and acting on it can do some real harm to your entire system. That’s because closing or blocking vents creates back pressure in your system, which can damage it and shorten its life. Additionally, closing vents doesn’t even save energy; it actually does the opposite. Your central cooling system works by kicking on until the temperature throughout your home reaches whatever temperature you set your thermostat on. Say you close all of the vents to an unused room. That room is going to be a lot warmer than the rest of your home, and your air conditioner will just keep on running until it reaches the correct temperature.
Myth #2 Turning your thermostat way down will cool your home faster
No matter what temperature you set your thermostats on, your air conditioner will cool your home at the exact same rate. Air conditioners just aren’t designed to cool any faster or slower based on what you set the thermostat on, and if you set it a lot lower in order to try to get your air conditioner to cool your home faster, there’s a chance you might not remember to turn it back up again, wasting energy and making your home too cold for comfort.
Myth #3 Using a fan will lower the temperature in your home
Fans are great at cooling people, and when you use a fan in conjunction with your air conditioner, you may even feel comfortable enough to turn the thermostat up a degree or two. But that doesn’t mean that the fan is actually lowering the temperature. Fans are valuable tools for cooling people, but running a fan when you’re not there to enjoy its effects won’t make our home any cooler, and will only leave you with higher energy bills.
Myth #4 Keeping your thermostat set on the same temperature all the time will save energy
There’s a very common myth that your air conditioner will waste more energy in an attempt to cool your home than it will to keep it at a consistent temperature all the time. But it’s just not true. While you shouldn’t turn your air conditioner completely off while you’re gone for the day, you should definitely turn your thermostat up. There’s no reason to make your air conditioner work so hard when you aren’t even home.
The best way to ensure that your thermostat is properly set throughout the day is to upgrade to a programmable, automatic thermostat. You can program your own specific schedule into your thermostat, ensuring that your home will always be a little warmer when you’re at work or asleep and a little cooler when you are home most often.
Myth #5. You’ll save more energy if you install a bigger air conditioner.
A bigger air conditioner might not be a better option. In fact, if it’s too big, it can actually end up causing a hike in your energy bills. If your air conditioner is too big for your home and usage needs, it can cause it to continually turn off and on. This is called cycling. A little bit of cycling is normal, but if it happens all the time, like if your system is not the right size for your home, then it will lead to higher energy bills.
That’s why, when it comes time to buy an air conditioner for your home, you should consult a professional so that they can use your usage and the size of your home to calculate the appropriate air conditioning size. Hiring an expert contractor takes the guesswork out of the equation and ensure that you buy the right air conditioner the first time, which is a good thing because they’re not exactly cheap.
Improve your home cooling with Tri-Elite Advisors HVAC
Many of the myths surrounding home cooling involve trying to make the air conditioner work more efficiently or effectively. And while following these myths won’t make your home any cooler or save you any money, regular air conditioning maintenance can. Our HVAC experts can help to keep your air conditioner working as efficiently and effectively as possible, while also extending its life. If you think that your air conditioner might be due for maintenance, be sure to give us a call.