There is so much advice and so many suggestions about how to set your thermostat for maximum energy conservation that it can be overwhelming, and some of what you hear can even be contradictory. It is the information that is wrong that will cost you dollars in the end, so the cooling and heating experts from DB Heating & Cooling are here to help dispel some of the more common myths that abound around Mahwah, NJ:
Myth 1: Leave your thermostat set at the same, constant temperature all the time.
We can understand why, on its face, this may seem like a good idea, but with a little digging, you’ll see that it isn’t. The reason this seems like a good idea is that keeping your temperature steady and constant means less powering up and down of your system. First, this isn’t completely true, and second, you’ll use more energy keeping your home at that steady temperature than your system will ever use starting a new cycle. A better choice: use a programmable thermostat to set very conservative temperatures for those times your home isn’t occupied.
Myth #2: Turn your cooling or heating off completely when leaving your home.
Not only does turning your cooling or heating completely off not save you any energy, you can put your home at risk during the winter months, especially when it comes to the potential for pipes freezing up. It’s one thing to turn your thermostat fairly high during the summer or fairly low during the winter when you aren’t home; you save energy, but you aren’t turning the entire system off. When you completely shut your HVAC system down, you are starting from scratch with heating or cooling your home, which will consume a lot of energy.
Myth #3: You can shut down a duct to save energy.
If your cool or warm air is delivered via ductwork, it is imperative that all registers stay open all the time, whether you are occupying a room or not. The only way you can shut down a duct and keep a balanced system is by installing and using a zone control system. Otherwise, closing off a duct will cause a number of problems with your heating and cooling system.