4 Common Energy Myths That May Be Costing You at Home

Schedule Now

As a greater Cincinnati resident you may be looking for ways to cut energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Unfortunately, a number of home energy myths exist, which may cost you more in the long run; here are four common ones to watch out for.

Home Energy Myths, Debunked

  • Myth: Purchasing energy efficient HVAC equipment will instantly reduce your energy bill. Replacing older, inefficient equipment with new, more efficient options will reflect positively on your energy bills, but significant savings will only be realized if the system been sized and installed correctly. A heating and cooling system that’s too big can cause energy costs to soar, while an undersized system will struggle to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Make sure your contractor performs a Manual J load calculation prior to purchase and installation.
  • Myth: Radically adjusting the thermostat will heat or cool your home faster. Conditioned air is produced and delivered at the same rate, regardless of how low or high the dial is set. Use a programmable thermostat to control the temperature in your home. Set the unit several degrees higher in the summer and lower in the winter for times you’re absent or sleeping, and then to your ideal set point one hour before you’re due to wake or arrive home.
  • Myth: It takes more energy to turn something off than to leave it on. The amount of energy used to run electronics, lighting or appliances is much greater than the small power surge that occurs when the equipment is turned on.
  • Myth: The first cost of houses is higher if the appliances are energy efficient. Though there are circumstances where efficient equipment may initially cost more, there’s often little or no first cost. For example, in the case of HVAC equipment, smaller high-efficiency systems can cost less than larger inefficient ones, plus they keep your home more comfortable.

For more information on how home energy myths can affect your savings, call the experts at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. For over a century, we’ve been providing quality service to homeowners in the greater Cincinnati area.

Image via Shutterstock.com

"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Image

    Financing

    Image

    Apollo Care Plan