Across the country, and throughout the rest of North America, gas furnaces are the most common type of residential heating system, a position they have held for a number of decades. Although other comfort technology has come along, the gas furnace remains at the top of the home heating pyramid because of its heating power and lower cost of natural gas compared to electricity and other heating fuels.
But because gas furnaces are so widespread, they also have a number of myths attached to them that are hard to shake off. Below are three common myths you have heard regarding gas furnaces. To make sure that none of these misunderstandings interfere with your home heating in Farmington, NM, always call professionals whenever you require installation, repairs, maintenance, or simply advice regarding a gas furnace. Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. is one of the most reliable companies to turn to whenever you need quality assistance for your home comfort in the Colorado Springs area.
Myth #1: Gas furnaces are dangerous
The truth is that any heating system poses some potential danger; these are powerful appliances, after all. Gas furnaces can present hazards if they are left without regular maintenance, or if amateurs attempt to service them. But if you make sure that you keep your home’s natural gas furnace in excellent shape, you shouldn’t encounter any safety issues from it—no more so than from a fireplace or a boiler.
Myth #2: The higher you set the thermostat, the faster the gas furnace will heat a home
Gas furnaces have immense heating output, which makes them one of the most effective ways to warm up a home. However, because people associate turning up the thermostat on a gas furnace with making a gas jet burn higher (like on a gas stove), they imagine this means that the furnace will warm up a home faster at a higher setting. But gas jets in a furnace always burn at the same rate: what the thermostat does is control how long it burns. If you crank up the thermostat to the highest setting, it will only keep the furnace running longer, and you will end up wasting energy without receive any faster comfort.
Myth #3: Gas furnaces will dry out your air
No, a furnace will not create unpleasantly dry air… or do anything to make the humidity lower in your home. This misunderstanding often arises because hydronic heating systems like boilers are sometimes called “wet heat” systems. This has nothing to do with moisture in the air; boilers do not put water into your home’s air, nor do furnaces draw moisture out of it. Heating the air is simply raising its temperature, and has nothing to do with adding or removing moisture.
If you have any questions regarding the performance of your furnace or about our heating services in Farmington, NM, never hesitate to give Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. a call. We will help keep your furnace safe and dependable.