Frequent HVAC Myths Busted | Hearth & Ice

You don’t know what you don’t know. This tautological assertion could seem to be nonsense, however it definitely applies to a number of areas in our lives.

We work with no matter information we expect is appropriate, however there’s quite a lot of potential information on the planet, and nobody can be taught all of it.

HVAC is a deeper rabbit gap of advanced gear and processes than many individuals notice. In consequence, quite a lot of misconceptions crop up round it.

Whereas this isn’t usually a problem, it may be at the price of your consolation, pockets, and even security for those who don’t know the in’s and out’s of HVAC in a approach that lets you make good selections.

So let’s begin making some higher selections, beginning with these primarily based on widespread HVAC myths.

We’ve already detailed some widespread myths surrounding heating and cooling, respectively, and this text takes a take a look at some misconceptions that cross the strains of heating and cooling to cowl ALL HVAC processes.

RELATED: The Definitive Checklist of Air Conditioning Myths

RELATED: The Definitive Checklist of Residence Heating Myths

Prepared to finish your coaching and debunk the final of our commonest HVAC misconceptions? Good. We’re glad to assist.

Frequent HVAC Myths

Fable: Larger is healthier

Reality: Larger can truly be worse generally. The scale, or energy, of a system is fastidiously measured to correctly warmth and funky your own home. A extra highly effective system can be okay at occasions, however different occasions will find yourself short-cycling (shutting on and off prematurely), which may trigger long-term harm to the system. There’s additionally the truth that you’re paying upfront for energy that you just don’t want.

With variable-speed air conditioners or heaters, which solely are available in full tons (a unit of measurement for a system’s energy), it could generally be advantageous to spherical as much as the closest tonnage. For instance, if your own home measures out at 2.5 tons, a 3-ton unit is okay. However variable-speed gear can also be designed to solely present the heating or cooling capability that’s wanted, so that you’re hardly ever, if ever, going to make use of that full 3 tons.

Fable: If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it

Reality: For those who’re not scheduling common upkeep of your whole HVAC system, you’re dropping out on quite a lot of effectivity and luxury, and probably damaging your system. Good upkeep needs to be proactive, which suggests it’s happening earlier than something breaks down completely. However a operating system isn’t essentially a wholesome system, and that is notably true with uncared for upkeep.

Fable: Duct tape is nice for duct leaks

Reality: Duct tape is sadly named, as a result of it ought to by no means be used to repair a leaking or broken duct. Sure forms of foil tape can be utilized for this goal, however that is usually not a sort of tape that owners generally have on-hand.

Even worse is when duct tape is used to restore chimney flues, which may get highly regarded. The duct tape will soften, changing into a possible hazard along with doing nothing useful.

Fable: If you realize the sq. footage of a house, you may give an correct estimate

Reality: Sq. footage is one a part of the equation, however removed from the one component concerned in precisely estimating the heating and cooling wants of a house.

For some widespread examples: what number of home windows are there? What course(s) do they face? Are they single-pane or triple-pane? What about insulation? Ceiling peak? The make of your doorways and the way drafty they get? Every of those can and sometimes will change the heating and cooling wants of your own home.

This fantasy persists as a result of some contractors don’t correctly calculate a house’s wants and solely use sq. footage. That is lazy and disingenuous to the client. Nationally-approved requirements exist (from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America), so there’s no excuse for taking the simple approach out.

Fable: A brand new HVAC system will enhance the worth of my dwelling as I’m on the point of promote

Reality: Effectively, probably, however not often. The problem right here is {that a} dwelling inspector who isn’t an HVAC individual gained’t be in search of the general sophistication of the gear. They’ll usually be in search of two issues solely: whether or not or not the model is recognizable, and whether or not or not it’s very outdated and in want of substitute.

So what a brand new A/C or furnace can do is take that off the negotiation desk whenever you’re deciding on a value for the house. If both is in imminent want of substitute, it could be used towards you. Nonetheless, the distinction between one which’s, say, eight years outdated vs. model new, or single-stage vs. variable-speed, is way much less prone to matter.

Fable: HVAC gear issues lower than insulation and home windows

Reality: All of them matter, and delinquency in a single goes to harm the opposite two. Ideally, you need an environment friendly HVAC system paired with a “tight” home that leaks as little vitality as attainable. Past that, it’s not possible to say which is extra necessary to the long-term consolation of your own home, and anybody telling you in any other case might be simply seeking to promote one thing.

Fable: A denser air filter is all the time higher

Reality: Right here’s one other case the place it could truly make issues worse. Take a typical one-inch air filter. To switch it with a denser HEPA filter may seem to be a good suggestion, and it’ll catch extra particles. However it’s additionally decreasing airflow considerably, which hurts your system in quite a few methods.

The most effective air filters can catch quite a lot of particles, but additionally enable for wholesome airflow in your system. That’s why it’s typically finest to improve to a four-inch filter or related choice.

The opposite hazard is that that very same one-inch HEPA filter will clog up quicker, which makes the issue of airflow even worse. Except you’re very regimented about altering your filter, you’re going to lose years off of the lifetime of your system because of the further work it’s placing in to beat the lack of correct airflow.

Fable: A high-efficiency HVAC system will all the time decrease my vitality payments

Reality: That is technically true as written, however the motive we will’t all the time promise price financial savings is that your financial savings relies upon largely on how a lot you employ your A/C or furnace.

Let’s say you don’t thoughts colder temperatures within the winter and your thermostat is ready at 67. The price financial savings within the winter for that dwelling goes to be far lower than in a house that prefers 78 diploma winters, through which the furnace can be operating continuously.

Another excuse financial savings might be illusory is because of local weather. Sure, minute to minute, a model new, energy-efficient furnace will price lower than a 20-year-old furnace with a decrease effectivity score. However for those who dwell within the southern United States and have delicate winters, your precise financial savings can be minimal annually. The identical is true on the cooling facet.

The excellent news is, financial savings might be vital if you find yourself utilizing your system commonly. Nonetheless, it’s a fantasy that this can all the time be the case.

Fable: Thermostat placement doesn’t make a lot of a distinction

Reality: It may make quite a lot of distinction. Ideally, the next is true:

1. The thermostat is on an inside wall.
2. It’s not adjoining to any home windows
3. It’s by no means in direct daylight
4. It isn’t close to the key home equipment within the kitchen

All of it is because the temperature will dip or spike in some areas of the house, even when these temperatures aren’t indicative of the complete dwelling’s temperature. Avoiding them is essential to regular, even consolation.

Fable: The much less time my air conditioner or furnace has to run, the much less vitality it’s utilizing

Reality: That is true between excessive and temperate days, the place the intense temperatures would require longer-running gear and extra vitality utilization.

The place this isn’t true, although, is the place it involves the gear itself. A variable-speed A/C or furnace will typically run for an extended time period than a single-stage or two-stage piece of apparatus. Nonetheless, some variable-speed programs can function at as little as 25% capability, which means you’re solely utilizing a fraction of the fee through the elevated uptime. Against this, the frequent on/off of programs that solely function at 100% capability could have barely much less uptime, however can be utilizing extra total vitality.

Fable: An air handler is identical factor as a furnace

Reality: An air handler is precisely what it appears like: gear that manages the airflow in a house’s HVAC system. The first element within the air handler is the blower motor and fan, which circulates air – each heating and cooling – all through your ductwork.

Usually, you’ll hear a unit referred to as a furnace, when it’s truly an air handler with separate electrical heating elements put in with it. In follow, it’s not all the time necessary that you realize the distinction, however it could matter when it comes time to exchange your gear.

RELATED: Air Conditioner, Warmth Pump, Furnace & Air Handler: What’s the Distinction?

Fable: I don’t must learn about my HVAC gear; that’s what my technician is for

Reality: I suppose this might be true you probably have a very affected person HVAC associate who takes quite a lot of time to stroll via all features of your system. These forms of contractors do exist. Even the most effective of them, although, gained’t know your particular scenario higher than you’ll. So the extra you educate your self, the higher your questions can be when it comes time to restore or change your system, and the higher your selections can be about any main HVAC funding.

Don’t Be Fable-taken

Puns apart, that final fantasy is probably an important of the entire bunch. We’ve devoted our whole, complete Studying Middle to buyer schooling, as a result of we see worth in having an knowledgeable buyer base that expects constant finest practices from HVAC contractors.

When you’re achieved absorbing any info that you just want, it will likely be time to take the following step, which suggests reaching out to a trusted HVAC associate. For those who’re in Columbus, Ohio, or the encompassing space, we hope meaning reaching out to us. Wherever you might be, although, we hope you have got a greater thought of what to do (and keep away from) to get probably the most out of your HVAC system.

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