There’s a lot of conflicting heating and cooling advice in Savannah, GA. With so much misinformation out there, it’s a good idea to hear the truth from the professionals. In this article, we debunk seven major HVAC myths and misconceptions.
1. A Bigger Air Conditioner Cools Your Home Quicker
A common misconception is that the bigger the air conditioner, the better. In reality, it’s very important that your AC is properly sized for your home. A unit that’s too large for your home cools rooms unevenly and far too quickly, causing it to run continuously or short-cycle.
2. It’s Best to Leave the AC Running While Away
Many homeowners have heard that it uses less energy for your air conditioner to run at a constant temperature setting than it does to adjust it throughout the day, like when you’re out of the house. This myth simply isn’t true and has likely cost you hundreds of dollars over the years.
In reality, you’ll always save money by shutting off the AC when you’re out of the house. If you’re worried about the house feeling hot and sticky when you return, have our technicians install a programmable thermostat. This way, it will turn the air conditioner back on for you a short while before you return home.
3. AC Filters Don’t Need Frequent Changing
Another myth is that you don’t need to change your HVAC filter more than once yearly. Some people think that during the cold season, when the furnace is running, filters should get changed often, but when the AC runs, they don’t get changed at all.
The most you should go without changing your filter is a few months. However, if it’s a hot summer, consider changing filters out once a month.
4. Maintenance Work Isn’t a Necessity
It’s a common misconception among homeowners that you don’t need maintenance appointments or that you can put them off for later. But just like a car, your air conditioner needs maintenance work to thrive. A member of our team will thoroughly inspect the HVAC system components, lubricate moving parts, clean everything and alert you to any problems that need fixing.
5. Closing Off Unused Rooms Saves Money
Since there are levers that allow you to open and close your HVAC vents, it’s easy to assume that this is a smart thing to do in order to save money. Doing so actually upsets the delicate balance of airflow within your ductwork system, lessening the performance of your air conditioner by causing air leaks.
6. You Can Seal Ducts With Duct Tape
This common myth is probably due to duct tape sounding similar to ductwork, but it’s sadly not true. We don’t recommend that you DIY a duct sealing project, for a number of reasons.
Instead, we suggest you call a professional to help you. You might miss some of the leaks without a large fan to perform the blower test, or you might do the job in an improper manner.
7. Square Footage Is the Only Factor That Matters When It Comes to AC Size
Now that you know a bigger air conditioner isn’t always better, let’s address another common HVAC myth. Most people believe that a single factor gets taken into account when determining AC size: the square footage of your home.
In reality, taking only the square footage into account would probably result in an oversized AC unit that costs far too much to run. Other factors typically weighed in the decision include the windows in your home and their orientation, the amount of insulation your home has, the quality of the ductwork and the age of the home.
It’s a common myth that your air conditioner doesn’t need yearly maintenance work. On the contrary, a good cleaning and inspection before summer keeps your home cool and your electric bill low. Give us a call today at Byrd Heating and Air Conditioning and ask to schedule a spring AC tune-up today!
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