We’ve all been told a lot of things over the years about our furnaces and how they operate. Some of them might be instructions from our parents while others might be tips we’ve gotten from social media. But how many of those “facts” about our furnaces are actually true? We’re here to debunk five of the most common myths so you can go into the winter feeling confident about your furnace.
Myth #1: Close the vents in rooms you don’t want to heat.
We hate to tell you your parents are wrong, but in this case, their well-intentioned advice is actually costing you money. Furnaces are designed to pump heated air equally throughout every room of your home, regardless of whether the vents are open or closed, so when you close off a vent completely, you’re actually trapping the air inside your ductwork. This causes your furnace to work harder and less efficiently, which can cause your energy bills to go up in the short term and can cause leaky ducts and other potentially expensive problems to repair in the long term. So make sure to leave your vents open this winter—it’s actually cheaper than the alternative.
Myth #2: Cranking up your thermostat will heat your home quicker.
We’ve all been there—you get home from work and the house is just a little too chilly, so you head to the thermostat. Instead of setting it to your ideal temperature, you go ahead and turn the thermostat up a few degrees higher so that the furnace will warm up your home more quickly. Common sense, right? The reality, though, is that your furnace doesn’t quite work that way. No matter how high you set your thermostat, your furnace actually pushes out hot air at the same rate—it won’t pump out hot air more quickly because you set the temp to 77 instead of 72. In fact, because your furnace warms your home at a consistent rate, setting your thermostat higher than your ideal actually just causes it to run longer. This can leave you with a higher energy bill (and not to mention leave you sweatier) than if you had simply left your thermostat alone.
So, as much as we all want to thaw from the cold as quickly as possible, give your thermostat and furnace a break from the constant temperature adjustments this winter—you won’t warm up any quicker if you don’t.
Myth #3: Air filters only need to be changed once a year.
Back in the spring, you were on top of things. You deep cleaned up the house, got rid of excess clutter, and you even changed your HVAC air filter. “Checked that off this year’s to-do,” you thought. We hate to tell you this after all your great work, but changing your air filter should actually happen more often than once a year. Air filters catch all sorts of particles in the air of your home: dust, pollen, pet dander, and even mold spores. They’re a great line of defense (especially during the intense allergy season here in central Indiana), but they can only trap so much. The more particles your air filter catches, the less air can flow through the filter, so the longer your filter goes without being changed, the less efficient your furnace can run.
Eventually, using a dirty air filter can decrease the quality of the air in your home, since the filter reaches a point where it has caught all the particles it can. That’s why changing your air filter regularly—at Appel, we recommend switching one or two inch filters out every 30–60 days—is the way to go.
Myth #4: You only need maintenance for your furnace if it breaks.
Perhaps the furnace myth that gets us the most riled up is that you only need to call for maintenance when something goes wrong. Definitely still call us in the case of a repair or emergency, but also, don’t wait until everything’s gone haywire to have us look at your furnace. Having an HVAC technician check your system at least twice a year ensures that your furnace runs smoothly all season long and helps you catch small problems, like a leak or a blockage, before they turn into bigger, more expensive problems. Regular HVAC maintenance also helps keep you safe. Neglected furnaces can lead to mechanical and electrical problems, raising the risk for fires—gas furnaces also have the potential to leak which, if left unchecked, can raise the carbon monoxide levels in your home.
Fortunately, HVAC technicians are trained to catch any of these potential issues during their visits, getting it off your shoulders. So don’t wait until your furnace is in dire need of repairs—schedule your furnace inspection today. And if remembering to schedule your maintenance visits feels daunting, check out our Platinum Maintenance Plans, where we call you to schedule your service.
Myth #5: The bigger your furnace, the better it’ll heat your home.
We’ve all heard the expression, “bigger is better,” but in the case of furnaces, it really depends on the size and layout of your home. Bigger, more powerful systems can work well at times, but also have the tendency to short-cycle, or turn on and off frequently, wasting energy and increasing the wear and tear on your furnace. Square footage is one of the biggest factors in determining how big of a furnace to get, but things like number of windows, insulation, and ceiling height also play a role.
Making sure you’ve fixed any spots in your home where the heat leaks out (like drafty windows or poorly insulated rooms) is a great first step before buying a new furnace, since getting a bigger or more efficient system won’t mean anything if the heat it puts out can easily escape. Once you’ve solved your heat leakage problem, you can see if the size of your current furnace is doing a decent job of keeping you comfortable. If it is, then no need to get a bigger furnace—just look for one around the same size as you currently have.
A surefire way to know whether you need a bigger furnace is to talk to our team of experts—we can assess your needs based on your home and help you find the perfect unit.
There you have it! Five of the most common myths about furnaces, all busted. This winter, you can rest easy and stay cozy all season long knowing that you know how best to take care of your furnace. Of course, if you have any lingering questions or want to know any more common myths about your HVAC system, just give us a call!