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Furnaces are a vital part of our comfort and safety in the winter. It’s therefore surprising that so many people have misunderstandings about their furnace, how they should treat it, and how it can save them money. The experts at Handy Bros. Home Comfort thought we’d collect these furnace myths and give you the real facts, so that you can be more comfortable and more cost-effective, in the winter.

Myth: You Can Close Your Registers to Save Heating Costs

Some people recommend that you close the registers in any rooms you’re not using, to keep heat from that room thus, more heat can go to other parts of the home. However, this is actually wearing on your furnace, which faces more pressure when it blows heat out to the rest of the home. This air pressure can slowly damage your furnace and shorten its lifespan. Plus, the heat will evenly distribute through your home anyway.

Myth: You Can Turn Up the Furnace for Faster Heat

After the weather dips dramatically, some people wake up and turn the temperature on their thermostat way up to try to get heat into their home faster. However, furnaces are always creating as much heat as they can when they are running. And, they’ll run until the home reaches the right temperature. Nothing you can do will get your home warmer faster, except for perhaps buying a more efficient furnace.

Myth: A High Efficiency Furnace is Enough to Save Money

It’s true that a high efficiency furnace will help you save some money on your utility bills. However, there’s more to it than that. To get the most money out of your high efficiency furnace, you absolutely need to keep it in good condition. Dirty filters, loose parts, and more major problems can impact its efficiency.

Plus, there are other things you can do to save money on your energy bill. Investing in new insulation, windows, and doors, can keep more heat in your home over the winter. And small things, like opening your blinds to get the sun in the winter, can also make a big impact on how much heat your furnace needs to generate, and therefore how much energy you need to pay for.

Myth: It’s Always Better to Repair Than to Replace

When something is wrong with your furnace, your first thought is to get it repaired. However, sometimes it’s more cost-effective to just replace it. Furnaces are expensive near the end of their lifespan. If it’s likely to need more repairs again soon, just replace it.

Now that you know the facts, you can get more out of your furnace and avoid costly mistakes. If you have any more furnace-related questions, contact our experts today. We’re always happy to help you make your home more comfortable.