When searching for energy-saving ideas, BEWARE, it is extremely common to stumble across both energy myths and realities. Whether you’re wondering if you should keep your air conditioning vents open or closed or if your appliances use energy when they are turned off, there are plenty of energy myths out there that can lead you astray.

1. Keeping a fan on cools a room.

Fans are designed to move air around, not to cool air. Having a fan on allows people inside of the room to feel cooler, but not the air in the room itself. Leaving a fan on when you leave your home is simply wasting energy while the room temperature is not cooling off at all.

2. Closing unused vents will cut down on energy costs.

Contrary to popular belief, closing vents in unoccupied rooms will actually affect the balance of your AC and cause it consume more energy to regulate this balance. Central air units distribute air evenly and changing this balance may cause pressure to build up and result in duct leaks and wasted energy.

3. Hand-washing dishes rather than running them through the dishwasher can save you energy.

Hand-washing a load of dishes requires a lot of hot water, and therefore a lot of energy. Today, most dishwashers have energy-efficient settings. These settings typically allow you to run a load of dishes using less water and less energy

4. Appliances don’t use energy when they are turned off.

Thanks to standby power settings, most appliances constantly use energy in order to be ready for immediate usage. These “energy vampires” cannot be turned completely off without unplugging the device altogether.

5. Most heat is lost through windows.

While heat can be lost through windows, window heat loss is only a small percentage of the total heat loss in a home. Typically, walls account for much more heat loss because of their large surface area. It’s best to consider insulating walls before upgrading windows since heat loss through windows is usually minimal.