When it becomes cold outside, the last thing anyone wants is a chilly home! But there are some home heating habits out there that could be costing you more than necessary on your heating bill. Here are some common heating mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.
Turning Up the Thermostat High
One of the most common home heating mistakes is to crank up your heat high when the temperature outside drops. In reality, this is inefficient and can harm your heating system.
People tend to think that turning up your thermostat high will heat up your home faster. But the thermostat’s setting has no reflection on how quickly your home’s temperature will change. Whether you turn it up 10 degrees or 20 degrees, it’s still going to work at the same rate to reach your desired temperature. The difference is if you set it higher, your system will work harder as you’ll likely reset the temperature when the house begins to heat up.
Setting the Temp Too Low at Night
Another home heating mistake you should be avoiding is turning the temperature down too low at night. While many sleep comfortably with the heat turned down at night, extremes can be hard on your HVAC system. Turning it down too much can be damaging to your system as it switches gears and works extra hard to heat your whole home back up the next day. If you want to avoid HVAC problems and have a good night’s sleep, don’t turn the heat lower than 8 degrees.
Heating an Empty Home
Even if you’re just at work for the day, heating your home as if you’re there not only wastes heat but drastically raises your heating bill.
Your heating system deserves a break every once in a while, and making it a habit to turn down the heat while you’re out is the perfect time to do that. Just make sure you don’t turn it too low, as mentioned in the point above. If you’re worried about coming home to a cold house, some thermostats can be set to a lower temperature during the day while you’re out and then automatically heat up by the time you get home.
Closing Vents in Unused Rooms
It can make sense to close anything that lets heat escape, like vents in unused rooms. But this is counterproductive and can end up costing you in the long run. When your heating system is running, it pulls the air from your home, heats it, and circulates it around. But when you close your furnace vents, you can set rooms up for potential heating system issues like:
- Damaged ductwork
- Reduced energy efficiency
- Increased wear and tear on the system
- Carbon monoxide leak
To avoid these potential problems, keep vents open to allow your heating system to do what it was designed to do: evenly heat your entire home.
Keeping Bathroom Exhaust Fans On
Exhaust fans in bathrooms are great to help to keep moisture, smells, and humidity from lingering. But did you know it can cause problems if you perpetually keep it going? When they’re working to remove humidity, they’re venting hot air up and out to keep the spaces cooler and drier. If you leave the exhaust fan on for an extended amount of time, the warmth in your home will be pushed out by it. The simple fix: when you’re done in the bathroom, make sure you turn off the exhaust fan to avoid a cold home.
Ignoring Doors and Windows with Cracks
If you’re noticing drafts coming from windows and doors, it’s in your best interest to fix the problems now rather than ignoring them. When not sealed properly, the cracks will let more cold air into your home, causing your heater to work overtime to combat the cold air, thus skyrocketing your energy bills.
If you notice drafts, get your windows and doors inspected to determine if they need caulking, window film, door sweeps, or weatherstripping. If your windows are older or you notice rot or cracks, it might be time to replace them entirely.
Need heating system repair or maintenance? Comfort World Air Conditioning & Heating is ready to help!
Neglecting System Maintenance
It sounds simple, but forgetting or ignoring to get HVAC maintenance every year is an extremely common home heating mistake than can cost you big. Like most systems with working parts, maintenance is an essential factor that impacts how much you pay in the long run. To avoid any long-term damage to your system, it’s important to schedule regular maintenance in every year.
If you need to schedule maintenance, repairs, or are considering replacing part of your system, call in Comfort World Air Conditioning & Heating for the job! We will work quickly and efficiently to solve the problem so you stay comfortable and warm. We’ve been bringing comfort to the valley for over 30 years, so you can count on us to get the job done right. Our highly trained technicians in Scottsdale, Arizona, want to bring a little more comfort to your world!
