Many homeowners attempt to cut household costs wherever they can. For example, many choose to keep their furnace at a low level to reduce costs on electricity or gas. While you can save money with this method, you could actually be doing expensive damage to your home and your HVAC system in the process, which could ultimately result in additional costs on repairs you otherwise would not have.
Here are some things that could suffer damage when you keep your home too cold in the fall and winter.
Damage to Your HVAC System
The last thing you want is to deal with a malfunctioning HVAC in the middle of cold weather. Keeping the heat at a low level will cause imbalance in the air temperature in the home, meaning it has to work harder to each cycle as the home gets colder. The extra work means you will have a system which wears out prematurely or needs maintenance more regularly.
Not allowing consistent airflow through the HVAC also has an impact on the evaporator coils. Condensation gathers on the coils as part of the normal operation of the system. However, when the temperature is too cold, the evaporated liquid can freeze, which can damage the coils.
Damage to Your Plumbing
Other issues can occur when your home is kept too cold. One of those is plumbing damage. Frozen exterior pipes is a common problem when the temperature outside is too cold, but pipes can also freeze inside the house if it gets too cold.
Residual water is always left inside the pipes, which run through many areas of your house. As the water sits with no heat to keep it warm, it freezes. The frozen water will then cause the pipes to expand and break, causing water to leak out and damage your walls, floors, and anywhere else your plumbing runs.
Damage to Your Electronics
Another issue for homes without proper temperatures is damaged electronic equipment. This is particularly true for televisions and computer monitors, as they are more sensitive.
In a cold home, the inside mechanisms of electronic equipment are cold but will create condensation when heated. An electronic device gradually warms up when you turn it on, and as it warms up, the cold will essentially turn to moisture, which is a dangerous mix. The result will be equipment which shorts out prematurely or will not function at all.
Damage to Your House Plants
House plants are to be inside for a good reason. They need a certain level of sunlight and temperature to flourish. When your interior temperature is too cold, the plants will suffer. While you may notice some plants with leaf damage, other plants can die if they are too cold. If you still intend to keep your temperatures low, you need to place your plants near a warm source, such as a sunny window.
The temperatures do not need to be incredibly low for these damages to occur. You should consider leaving your thermostat at a comfortable level without being as cold as outdoor temperatures.
If you need to save money, consider a programmable thermostat. You can program your temperatures to set a bit lower during the day while you are away, then set it higher in the evening when it is the coldest.
If you need help with your furnace or any part of your HVAC system, please contact us at
Any Season Heating & Air Conditioning. We have 25 years of experience in every area of heating and air conditioning. We would be happy to help you with all your HVAC needs at any time of year.
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