Common HVAC Misconceptions and Myths

Given that most residents in the United States have a heating and cooling system in their house, it isn’t a surprise that a lot of misconceptions and myths have sprung up around these systems and how they operate. Unluckily, these misconceptions lead to homeowners experiencing installation problems, encountering system issues, and wasting energy.

Today, as a quality HVAC Daly City professional, we are going to talk about the most common HVAC misconception and Myths.

It’s a Lot Better to Have a Big System

Purchasing a furnace or an air conditioner is not the same as purchasing your home. It is like purchasing your clothes. Of course, when buying clothes, you always go for the ones that have the right fit, right? This can be applied to HVAC systems as well. The truth is that an HVAC system that’s extremely big for your house is probably going to experience a lot of efficiency and performance issues. The same can be applied for a system that’s extremely small for your house.

Setting the Thermostat to 50 will Make Your House Cool Quicker

All heat pumps, furnaces, and air conditioners have a maximum speed with which it can regulate your home’s temperature in any direction. Turning the dial all the way in a particular direction does not make any difference in how fast your house will heat up or cool down.

If you’ve got a smart thermostat, you can see the estimated time until your room reaches the wanted temperature. You will see that even minor adjustments require 10 up to 15 minutes on average.

Turn Off Your System Whenever You Are Away

This might make sense at first. However, it is really less energy efficient if you turn off your AC whenever you are away on a hot day. Nowadays, modern AC systems are quite efficient at keeping temperatures. However, they use a lot of energy whenever they have to greatly change the temperature of your whole house.

You Need to Close Vents to Save Energy

This isn’t the case. You are basically blocking the warm and cold air from getting to your room if you close registers and vents. But, your HVAC unit still has to work to heat or cool that space. It will still utilize the same energy as before. It might even use more.

There are also other impacts if you close the vents. First, your unit requires the right air intake to operate. It can lead to problems like frozen coils if you block off air intake channels. Next, you can negatively impact the comfort of your house.

It’s Optional to Tune-Up Your System

This is not the case as well. Yearly maintenance is vital. It helps keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently and effectively. It can also help improve the lifespan of your unit. You are basically putting your heat pump, furnace, and air conditioner at risk if you don’t schedule yearly tune-ups.

A lot of professionals suggest homeowners schedule a tune-up during the fall season. This will help make sure that your unit is ready for winter.