Cold weather brings out the “experts.” You know the type. Maybe it’s a neighbor or a well-meaning uncle who swears they have the secret to slashing your heating bill.
The problem is that much of this common wisdom is actually wrong. In fact, some of these persistent myths can damage your furnace, ruin your comfort or even drive your energy bills higher.
Let’s look at things nearly everyone gets wrong about heating their home — and what you should do instead to stay warm and keep your cash.
1. Closing vents in unused rooms saves money
It seems logical: If you aren’t using the guest room, why pay to heat it? You might think closing the vent in that room will redirect the warm air to the rooms you are using.
Unfortunately, your HVAC system doesn’t work like a faucet. It’s a balanced system designed to move a specific volume of air.
When you close vents, the blower doesn’t slow down; it just pushes against higher pressure. This can lead to duct leaks, wear out your blower motor faster and actually lower the system’s efficiency.
Instead of closing vents, leave them open to ensure proper airflow and system longevity.
2. Cranking the thermostat heats the house faster
You come home to a freezing house, so you jam the thermostat up to 85 degrees to warm it up quickly.
Here’s the reality: Your furnace typically runs at one speed. It pumps out heat at the same rate whether the thermostat is set to 68 or 88. Setting it higher doesn’t make the heat come out faster — it just tells the system to run longer.
If you forget to turn it back down, you’ll overheat the house and waste money. Set it to your desired temperature and let the system do its job.
3. A fireplace is a good way to lower heating bills
There’s nothing cozier than a crackling wood fire on a cold night, but if you think that fire helps you save on your gas bill, you’re likely mistaken.
Traditional open-hearth fireplaces are notoriously inefficient. They often suck more warm air out of your house (which goes right up the chimney) than they radiate back into the room. It’s called the “stack effect,” and it can actually make the rest of your house colder, forcing your central heat to work harder.
Unless you have a high-efficiency wood stove or fireplace insert, treat the fire as a luxury for ambiance, not a money-saver.
4. Ceiling fans are only for summer
Most people shut their ceiling fans off the moment September hits, but they’re missing a trick.
Heat rises, meaning the warmest air in your room is often stuck up near the ceiling where it does you no good. Most ceiling fans have a small switch on the motor housing that reverses the blade direction.
In the winter, run your fan clockwise at a low speed. This pushes warm air that rises to the ceiling back down along the walls, circulating heat and making the room feel warmer.
5. Turning the heat down when you leave costs more
This is the reheating myth — the idea that it takes more energy to bring a cold house back up to temperature than it does to keep it warm all day.
Physics disagrees. The rate at which your home loses heat to the outside slows down as the indoor temperature drops. By keeping the house cooler for eight hours while you are at work, you lose less total heat to the outdoors than if you kept it warm.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you can save as much as 10% a year by turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day.
6. Space heaters are cheaper than central heat
Space heaters use electricity, which is generally much more expensive per unit of heat than natural gas.
If you turn off your central heat entirely and huddle in one small room with a space heater, you might save money. But if you’re trying to heat a large open area — or worse, running space heaters in multiple rooms while the furnace is also on — you’re burning money.
Use them sparingly for drafty corners, but don’t rely on them as a primary heat source.
7. New windows are the best investment for efficiency
Drafty windows are annoying, but replacing them is one of the most expensive ways to save energy.
While new windows will lower your heating bill, the upfront cost is massive. It can take decades to recoup that investment through energy savings alone.
If you want a better return on investment, look at your attic. Adding insulation and sealing air leaks are often a fraction of the cost of new windows and provide immediate, dramatic results in comfort and savings.
Learn more by checking out tips to stay warm this winter.
Keep the heat where it belongs
Staying warm doesn’t have to mean going broke. By ignoring these myths, you can let your heating system work the way it was designed to.
Focus on the basics: seal air leaks with caulk, change your furnace filters regularly and use a programmable thermostat to match your heating schedule to your life. Your wallet — and your furnace — will thank you.
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