We’ve heard some pretty tall tales when it comes to air conditioners. Cooling your home while living in the desert can be expensive. We’ve seen people try to cut corners in all types of ways. Truth is, some of the “air conditioning hacks” people believe actually work, in fact end up costing them more money in the long run. Everyone wants to save a couple of bucks on their power bills and we get it! We do too! But there are certain myths we are here today to debunk that may actually be hurting your HVAC system and your pocketbook.

Doors Open or Closed with Central Heating & Air Conditioning?

This is one of the most common misconceptions we see. You’d think that if you aren’t using a particular room, then shutting the door will save you money because you’re not paying to keep it cool. Wrong, HVAC systems are delicately balanced systems. They are designed with return air vents that suck up warm, or humid air to return it to the system, which then cools and cleans the air so it can be delivered back in to the home as cool, dry air. When you disrupt part of the system, you are actually making your unit work harder to cool the rest of the space, affecting indoor air quality and losing valuable air that you’ve payed for. The return air vents have to work twice as hard, because there is not enough air to recirculate through the system when cooled air is trapped in a room. When you close the doors while the unit is on, you are essentially trapping pressurized air in the rooms and giving it less of a chance to circulate. In turn this forces the air to escape by any means necessary. It does this by seeping out of the cracks of the door, escaping through cracks in the wall, behind trim and through window sills. You are actually losing most of the cooled air you just payed for. So, keep those doors open folks!

Does Turning the Thermostat Way Down Save Money?

False, your air conditioning unit is designed to evenly cool and distribute air at a set pace. This prolongs the life of the unit and keeps it from over-heating. We’ve seen and heard of people who will turn their thermostat up to 85 or 90 degrees while they are at work, only to crank it down to 65 degrees when they get home to try and cool their home quickly. Your unit will lower the temperature one degree at a time until the space is cooled to the desired temperature. Cranking it down low will not speed up that process. Turning it to 75 degrees will cool the home just as quickly as cranking the thermostat down to 65 degrees will. This is why programmable thermostats are highly recommended. You can simply program the settings of the thermostat to raise the temperature to a reasonable setting while you’re at work, then program it to begin cooling shortly before you come home so your house is cool upon arrival. This will prolong the life of your unit and save you money in the long run.

Is Routine Preventive Maintenance a Scam?

This is far from the truth, we are not just saying this because we are HVAC professionals. This would be the same as saying, you don’t need to change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. With regular maintenance, you can prolong the life of your unit, keep it running at peak efficiency and lower your power bills. When a HVAC system is not regularly maintained, you are actually costing yourself more money in the long run with costly repair bills and higher energy costs. The small yearly fee you will pay to ensure your system is in tip top shape is worth the money you will save down the line.

Central Air Conditioning Services & More in Summerlin, North LV, Henderson, Enterprise, Paradise, Sunrise Manor, Spring Valley, Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Green Valley Ranch, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, Peccole Ranch, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada

Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning is a full service HVAC company here in the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas. We offer affordable service contracts to keep your system running at peak efficiency and can help you lower those dreaded Summer energy bills by keeping your system running properly. If you have further questions, or would like to schedule your next appointment, call us today!