Homeowner tips

Don't make these holiday HVAC decorating mistakes

Don’t make these common holiday HVAC decorating mistakes

The holiday season is here which means many of us will start to unpack the ribbons, wreaths, lights and other decorations to adorn our homes with festive cheer. But before you start decking your halls, be sure that your joyous aesthetics aren’t jeopardizing your home comfort, your HVAC equipment or your energy bill! Read on to make sure you aren’t making these holiday HVAC decorating mistakes.

Don’t cover the thermostat

Pinterest is not your friend. All of those pretty posts with DIY project details on how to cover your thermostat could be jeopardizing your home comfort and your energy bill. Your thermostat is designed to be exposed so it can accurately gauge the temperature of your home.

Don’t heat up the thermostat

Keep those sparkly lights far away from your thermostat. Exposing a thermostat to a heat source can cause false readings. This may prevent your HVAC equipment from running when it should, or may cause it to cool when it should be heating which could lead to equipment or other home damages. For the same reason, you shouldn’t have your thermostat near windows with direct sunlight, lighting and lamps, or other electronic equipment that could generate heat.

Don’t block​​​​​​​ your air vents

When decorating for the holidays, we often move around furniture to accommodate trees, presents and other adornments. When you block your air vents, your blower could be working harder. Take care to keep any objects in your home clear from your air vents to maintain a comfortable home temperature. Also, if you are a household that puts up live trees, know that they could dry out faster if positioned too closely to vents and could be a potential fire hazard.

Pay attention to these common HVAC decorating gaffes so you can keep your home and family cheerful – and not uncomfortable – this holiday season.