Don’t waste energy on these myths

January 27, 2009

I read that I can help heat my bathroom by letting the water sit in the tub after showering until it is room temperature. Is this true?

The amount of heat you gain will be negligible and could only cause you grief by creating excess moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew. That’s why we recommend using an energy-efficient exhaust fan when showering. Letting the water sit is a method we wouldn’t recommend.

Here are some other myths that we encounter when talking with customers:

Houses need to breathe, so don’t add too much insulation.

Homes cannot be over-insulated. They can be under-ventilated, however, although we rarely encounter that problem. Energy-efficient newer homes are so tightly sealed to retain heat that many require mechanical ventilation to keep indoor air fresh. Air sealing of the home is what makes a house tight, not insulation. Insulation blocks radiant and convective heat loss, but seldom air infiltration. So, unless you use spray or foam insulation, your home should not be so tight that it requires extra ventilation. The amount of insulation to install is dictated by the structure and design of the house.

Turning compact fluorescent lights on and off uses more energy than just leaving them on.

When you turn on any light, you’ll use electricity. When you turn it off, you won’t. It’s that simple. So we never recommend leaving on any type of light to “save” electricity. When compact fluorescent lights first came on the market, there was concern that turning them on and off reduced their life. This is not true. Nor are the myths that they buzz and emit poor light quality. These bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent light bulbs, so they can reduce your lighting costs over the years.

You’ll waste energy turning the thermostat down when gone from home and up when you return.

We don’t recommend constantly fiddling with the thermostat, but you will save energy if you turn it down if you are gone for several hours or when you are sleeping. For every degree you lower it for an eight-hour period, you’ll save between 1 and 2 percent on your heating bill. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the setting and you can set it and forget it.

The house will heat up faster if the thermostat is cranked up.

The house will come up to a desired temperature just as quickly if you set the thermostat at 68 or at 90. You’ll only be wasting energy by setting it at 90 as your furnace responds to the setting.