With many regions in the eastern part of the country experiencing colder-than-average temperatures this winter, homeowners are more eager than ever to find ways to save energy in order to offset higher energy bills. Unfortunately, many people believe energy myths that actually cost them money. Here are a few that you should be aware of, shared by your local roofing contractor, Muth and Company Roofing.
MYTH: Closing off vents in unused rooms will save energy. Despite common belief, blocking off air registers in rooms that aren’t used frequently will not have any effect on how much energy your system is using. Nor does closing vents heat or cool other rooms faster. Instead, it puts more pressure on the HVAC system, making it work harder, use more energy and wear out faster.
MYTH: Turning up the thermostat will help the house heat up faster. This is another common misconception that can actually result in more energy being used, instead of less. A furnace will run at full capacity from the moment you turn it on, so cranking up the temperature won’t make it heat faster ndash it will just make it work longer to reach the higher temperature. Plus, you may potentially make the furnace run more when you forget to turn the thermostat back down.
MYTH: Leaving the light on when you exit a room uses less energy than turning it off and back on again. Some people mistakenly believe that an energy-consuming surge of power takes place when a light is turned on. In reality, there’s no additional draw on power when the light is switched on (or at least not enough to be notable). If you want to save energy, remember to always turn off the lights when you leave a room, even if it’s just for a short period of time.
MYTH: It’s cheaper to wash dishes by hand than to run the dishwasher. If you hate washing dishes, you’ll be happy to know that you can save more money using a dishwasher, particularly a new, energy-efficient model, than you could doing dishes by hand. Washing by hand tends to waste a lot of water, especially if you leave the water on while you’re scrubbing.
Have you inspected your attic insulation recently? If not, it might be a good idea to have the roofing professionals at Muth and Company Roofing perform an attic energy inspection for you. Inadequate attic insulation is one of the leading causes of energy loss in a home, so give us a call today at (614) 682-3060 to schedule your inspection and make sure you’re not throwing away your energy dollars.