Why Energy Myths Persist — and Why They Cost You
Most energy-saving myths aren't random — they're plausible extrapolations from incomplete logic. 'Keeping the heat on low avoids cold starts.' 'A higher setting means more heat output.' These beliefs feel intuitive, which is exactly why they stick around even after contradicting evidence is easy to find.
The cost of acting on bad information is real. Households that follow common misconceptions can pay significantly more on utility bills year after year without realizing why. Understanding how heating, cooling, and electrical systems actually work is the foundation of genuinely effective efficiency habits. For a broader look at the levers available to you, the end-to-end home energy efficiency guide is a useful companion to this article.
Myth
Leaving the heat on low all day saves more money than turning it on and off.
Fact
Heating a home only when needed almost always uses less energy than maintaining a low background temperature all day.
The logic seems sound: keeping a home gently warm avoids the energy 'surge' of reheating from cold. But heating systems don't actually surge — they simply run until the target temperature is reached. A home left at a low constant temperature loses heat steadily all day through walls, windows, and the roof. Heating it only during occupied hours means the system runs less total time. The right thermostat schedule can automate this without any sacrifice in comfort.
Myth
Turning the thermostat up high heats your home faster.
Fact
Standard heating systems output the same rate of heat regardless of how high the thermostat is set.
A furnace or heat pump doesn't 'work harder' when you set 80°F instead of 68°F — it simply stays on longer, overshooting into discomfort and wasting fuel in the process. The thermostat is a target, not a throttle. For a full explanation of how heating systems actually respond to temperature settings, see why turning up the thermostat doesn't heat your home faster.
Myth
Devices in standby or sleep mode use virtually no electricity.
Fact
Standby power — often called phantom load — can account for a meaningful share of a household's total electricity use.
TVs, game consoles, phone chargers, and smart speakers all draw power continuously even when not in active use. Across an entire home, this idle consumption adds up. The solution is straightforward: plug devices into power strips and switch them off at the strip when not needed. Our article on phantom loads explains which devices are the worst offenders and how to address them without disrupting daily routines.
Myth
Ceiling fans keep a room cool, so they save energy even when no one is in the room.
Fact
Ceiling fans cool people through the wind-chill effect — they do not lower room temperature, and running them in empty rooms wastes electricity.
A ceiling fan moves air across skin, which accelerates evaporative cooling and makes occupants feel cooler. It does nothing to the ambient air temperature itself. Running a fan in an unoccupied room provides no benefit and consumes electricity unnecessarily. The habit to adopt: turn fans off when you leave a room, and use them to allow a slightly higher air-conditioning setpoint when people are present.
Myth
Buying energy-efficient appliances will automatically lower your energy bills.
Fact
Efficient appliances reduce energy per use, but poor usage habits can eliminate — or even reverse — those gains.
An ENERGY STAR-rated washing machine uses significantly less water and electricity per cycle than an older model. But if that machine is running half-full loads daily instead of full loads every few days, the net consumption may be similar or higher. Appliance efficiency and usage habits work together. For a closer look at how everyday patterns affect costs, the guide on small appliance habits that add up is worth reading alongside any upgrade decision.
Myth
More insulation is always better — you can't over-insulate a home.
Fact
Insulation has diminishing returns, and adding too much without addressing air sealing or ventilation can create moisture and air-quality problems.
Beyond a certain R-value (a measure of thermal resistance), each additional inch of insulation delivers smaller and smaller energy savings. More critically, a very tightly insulated home needs adequate controlled ventilation to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to mold and structural damage. The insulation myths costing homeowners money article explores this in detail, including the vapour barrier debate.
Putting Accurate Habits Into Practice
Correcting a myth is only useful if it leads to a different behaviour. Here's what the evidence-based version of common energy choices looks like in practice:
- Heating schedules: Program your thermostat to lower temperatures during work hours and overnight, and return to comfort levels before you wake or arrive home. Modern programmable and smart thermostats make this straightforward.
- Standby power: Identify high-draw standby devices — entertainment systems, older desktop computers, and charger bricks are common culprits — and put them on switched power strips.
- Fans and A/C: Use ceiling fans with the air conditioner set two to three degrees higher than you otherwise would. Turn fans off when leaving the room.
- Insulation: Before adding more insulation, address air leaks around windows, doors, and penetrations. Air sealing often delivers better returns per dollar spent. See common assumptions about home insulation for guidance on getting the sequence right.
5–8%
Heating energy saved per degree setback
The U.S. Department of Energy has indicated that turning your thermostat back 7–10°F for 8 hours a day can save around 10% annually on heating and cooling.
~10%
Of home electricity from phantom loads
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has estimated that standby power accounts for roughly 5–10% of residential electricity use in U.S. homes.
~$0
Temperature change from running a ceiling fan
Ceiling fans create a wind-chill effect on occupants but do not reduce actual air temperature — confirmed by ENERGY STAR guidance on fan usage.
Small, consistent changes based on accurate information reliably outperform larger, misdirected efforts. The goal isn't to adopt every tip at once — it's to stop doing the things that feel like savings but aren't.
The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.