When it comes to your home’s HVAC system, there are probably some common myths you may believe to be true. As the weather is cooling down and homeowners are turning to their thermostats to warm their homes, Phil Montgomery of Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning dispels some myths and offers homeowners some tips.

“For many homeowners, they may make decisions about their homes heating and cooling system simply with maintaining a budget in mind,” says Montgomery. “While we know everyone looks at the bottom line, sometimes when that is all we look at, it can lead to problems. There are a few things I see and hear that I’d like homeowners to know are not in their best interest.”

1. If I set the thermostat high, it will heat my home much faster.

Montgomery says that just isn’t the case. You can set your thermostat higher, but it doesn’t increase the amount of warm air that the system produces – instead, it only increases the amount of time your heater runs. That means it won’t make your unit run more efficiently and decrease your bill, it will actually make your unit run for a longer amount of time.

“Look at it this way,” Montgomery says. “Let’s say you like to keep your home around 75 degrees in the winter months. You get home to find your home a chillier than normal 62 degrees, so you bump the thermostat to your desired 75. It takes 10 minutes to reach that temperature, but when it does, it shuts off. But if you’re impatient, you may think ‘why not bump it all the way to 80 so it can heat faster?’ But instead of taking only 10 minutes to reach your desired 75, it takes 15 or even 20 minutes to reach 80. So that means your system ran much longer than it needed to in order to reach your desired temperature.”

2. I’ll just keep my curtains open all day so the sun can heat up my home.

This is a good tip, but it only works efficiently if your windows are clean. Dirt and grime can prevent the sunshine from effectively warming up your home, so make sure those windows sparkle.

3. I can install a new thermostat myself.

Montgomery says this is a very common one he sees. You can visit your local hardware store and purchase the latest and greatest thermostat, but do you know if that thermostat is compatible with your HVAC unit? The experts at Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning know the ins and outs of all the thermostats on the market, and how they work in conjunction with different heating and cooling units, and how the location of the thermostat can affect your unit’s function. If you are in the market for a new thermostat, call an experienced technician to help.

4. I don’t need to worry about my air filter in the winter months.

Dirt, dust and debris are just as much of an issue during the winter months as they are the summer ones. Don’t forget to change your filter regularly to ensure your unit runs as efficiently as possible.