Your central heating system takes care of you, so it serves you well to take care of it. Properly caring for your heater can save you money and make the system last for longer. Unfortunately, there are lots of misconceptions that lead homeowners to pay less attention to the wellbeing of their systems, even if they mean well.
All of the following heating system beliefs exist because homeowners truly think they will save money. But these are mistakes that could be harmful to the system—and actually cost you more in the long run.
1. A heating system doesn’t need maintenance
This is a common misconception—one we often hear after we discover an older heating system needs to be replaced or requires major repairs. “But this thing is barely a decade old! It should be working fine for another decade!” Well, that’s just not the case.
A furnace will not last indefinitely, and it certainly won’t last 20 years if it doesn’t get the maintenance it needs. Changing the filter every few months is only part of that. You should be getting professional maintenance for any heating system—gas or electric—each year in the fall or early winter.
Professional preventative heating maintenance includes an inspection for your health and safety, as well as a tune-up that could help your heater run more efficiently and last for longer. You just have to keep up with it every year!
2. Price is the most important factor in heating installation
When picking out a new heating system, you want to save money. We understand that. But the worst way to do that is to call around from company to company looking for the cheapest system and the least expensive installation.
We don’t mean to bring you down, but there’s some truth to the saying: “You get what you pay for!” We often see systems that were installed for cheap, and we know right away. The workmanship is shoddy, and the system may not be properly sized for the home.
If you go for a cheap system, you might not get the efficiency you expect. That means you’ll pay far more for heating than you should. A high-efficiency heater may be costlier, but you save money over time. The long-term savings can offset the initial price.
3. You should close the vents in unoccupied rooms
This misconception stems from a completely logical assumption. “If I’m not using a room, I wouldn’t want to waste energy by heating it up.” So, you might close the vents up in that room to stop heat from getting in and minimize the time your heater has to run. What’s the problem there?
Well, what you may not realize is that your heater was designed to heat up a certain amount of space. When you close up vents, it’s as if the heater is now too large for the space in your home. It could malfunction in a couple of ways. It may start up and turn off too frequently, wearing down the ignition system. Or, it could even overheat. You should leave all the vents open and set the thermostat to an efficient temperature instead.
Contact GRmetro Heating and Cooling Inc for heating service in and around Grand Rapids, MI.
