A Heating Contractor Explains Five Common Myths That Cost You Money

Myth 1: You'll lower your utility costs by using portable heating units for individual rooms instead of relying on a central heating system that uses gas.

Fact: While it might be true that it takes less energy to heat smaller spaces separately, it's important to consider the cost of each type of energy. The electricity used to run portable space heaters is as much as five times more expensive than the gas you'll need to power your central heating system. Don't make the mistake of spending as much in electrical costs to heat a few rooms as you'll spend in gas costs to keep your entire house warm.

Myth 2: Turning the central heating system's thermostat all the way to the highest setting will save heating costs by warming your house a lot faster.

Fact: Your heating system can't pump more heated air than it's designed to accommodate when it's turned on. Raising the thermostat will only make your furnace run longer. The house might become extremely warm and uncomfortable. All of that heat will be wasted, along with the fuel that it took to generate it.

Myth 3: Ceiling fans aren't supposed to be used in the winter months.

Fact: Opposite seasons require opposite fan directions. That's easy to remember, isn't it? Setting your fan's switch to rotate the blades in the opposite direction in the colder months will force the upper warm air back down into the room. Your furnace won't have to work as hard as the readily available heated air is recirculated.

Myth 4. You can significantly lower your energy costs by replacing your old windows with newer ones that are rated for high energy savings.

Fact: This sounds good in theory but it's important to calculate the total expense of window replacement. There are much cheaper ways to lower your house's energy consumption. Install some inexpensive weather strips to your exterior doors and use insulation to block drafts from electrical outlets, duct work and spaces around pipes. You'll experience impressive savings by blocking these typical sources of drafts and heat loss.

Myth 5: Replacing the hot water heater from the dinosaur era with a more modern and energy efficient model will definitely reduce your energy costs.

Fact: It's true that appliances that are energy efficient can be more cost effective to operate. However, the size of the tank and the temperature setting directly influences energy costs, too. Nearly 20% of your entire utility costs are eaten up by your water heater. Simply lowering the temperature setting to about 120 F will make a marked difference in your energy bill.

There! Now you're empowered with the correct information and you can make informed decisions to better manage your home heating costs. Feel free to give us a call if you have any more questions about your heating system and ways to save energy. As an experienced and dependable heating contractor servicing the greater Los Angeles vicinity, we're determined to help you stay warm efficiently and affordable. To learn more about services our company offers, please visit our homepage.