Being more energy conscious is a worthy goal for both our planet and our pockets. The problem is, many energy saving habits are nothing more than well-intentioned myths. We’re debunking the five most common misconceptions about energy savings.

Leaving a ceiling fan helps cool a room even when you’re not in it.

Ceiling fans only help to circulate air throughout the room—they don’t cool the air itself. If you’re not present in the room to enjoy the breeze, there’s no benefit to running the ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can help improve energy efficiency, but only if used properly.

Electronics only consume energy when they’re powered on.

Turning off electronic devices like TV’s, video game consoles, and laptops when you’re not using them is a good habit, but that won’t stop them from using power. Devices are now designed with “standby power” function, which continues to consume energy while the device is off so that it can power up more quickly when switched back on.

Setting your thermostat higher will heat your home more quickly.

Your furnace isn’t an accelerator. Cranking it up doesn’t make it reach your desired temperature any faster. It delivers heat at the same rate no matter what temperature it’s set to reach. By setting it higher than you want, you’re only wasting the energy needed to take it up those extra degrees when you’re going to turn it down again anyway.

Using a space heater saves money.

Many people believe that using a space heater to heat only the rooms you’re occupying is a good way to save money on energy bills during the winter. However, because electricity is more expensive than natural gas, running space heaters winds up costing more than simply heating your entire home with a gas-powered furnace.

Turning lights or electronic devices off and back on wastes energy.

Again, while it used to be true that turning a device on and off caused an energy surge that could be damaging to the appliance, that is no longer the case today. The small surge of power generated by switching on an electrical device is negligible compared to the amount of energy involved in leaving it on. To save energy, make a habit of turning off the lights whenever you leave a room.

For a home energy audit, contact a Bonfe technician today.