4 Myths That May Be Sabotaging Your Monthly Energy Bill

Myths About Home Energy Usage

• Myth: Leaving lights on when not in use helps bulbs last longer and uses less electricity.
  Lighting accounts for about 10 percent of the total energy budget in the average home. When lights are not in use, turn them off to reduce energy bills. Even older and more fragile incandescent lighting should be turned off. For substantial energy savings of 40 to 80 percent, update the lighting in your home light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent (CFL).
• Myth: If you want to heat or cool the home quickly, turn the thermostat way up or down.
  An A/C and heat pump system can’t cool the home any faster by turning the thermostat way down, nor can a heat pump or furnace heat the home faster by turning the thermostat way up. The best strategy to bring the home to a comfortable temperature is with a programmable thermostat.
• Myth: The more efficient an HVAC system is, the more it costs.
  While higher efficiency furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners do have higher sticker prices than less efficient models, the modest price difference is recouped in energy savings. Ask your HVAC contractor to provide you with a cost analysis outlining the lifetime cost of systems you may install. The lifetime cost is the true investment. Moreover, high efficiency systems offer superior features and greater comfort.
• Myth: All you need to lower heating and cooling costs are high efficiency HVAC systems.
  Your new high efficiency HVAC system must be correctly sized to the load of your home. Consider an energy audit and possible home energy upgrades to reduce the load, provide greater comfort and lower energy bills even more. A little DIY weatherization can do wonders for your energy saving efforts.

Learn more about how the pros at Brennan’s Heating & Air can help get your energy bills under control, or contact us today at (703) 491-2771 to schedule a home energy audit!