6 Common Household Myths Debunked

We’ve all heard myths and rumors about how safe or efficient household appliances are. At Sherzer & Associates here in Orange City, two of our top priorities are keeping our clients safe and helping them save money Let’s take a look at some of the most popular myths around your house related to both.

Myth #1 - Rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher

• Actually, rinsing dishes before loading them in the dishwasher doesn’t get them any cleaner. You may actually be doing more harm than good. According to Consumer Reports, pre-rinsing can waste more than 6,000 gallons of water each year. You could even damage your dishes. Without enough grime to clean, the high level of alkaline in dishwasher detergents tend to be more aggressive on your dishes – causing cloudiness and scratches.

Myth #2 - Appliances don’t use power when they’re not being used

• Appliances do use power in standby mode. Leaving your cell phone charger plugged into the outlet without charging your phone uses power – about 1 watt of electricity. And your TV digital cable box consumes 33 watts. In other words, the more appliances you leave plugged in, the more electricity you’re wasting.

Myth #3 - When you get home on a hot day, turn down the thermostat to cool your house off faster

• Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. While instant results would be nice, that just isn’t the case. Rather than pump out more cool air in a shorter amount of time, your AC will just run longer.

Myth #4 - Leaving a ceiling fan on while you're not home will cool off the room

• Fans cool your skin, not the air; they have no effect on the room temperature. A fan works by circulating the air within a space so when the air moves across the skin it makes us feel cooler while the air temperature in the room stays the same. If a fan runs when no one is there, no one is feeling the benefits so it’s just wasting electricity.

Myth #5 - Extension cords are a must these days. And they last forever

• Long-term use of an extension cord can cause the insulation to deteriorate and cause a fire. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, about 3,300 home fires are caused by faulty or damaged extension cords each year. Protect yourself and only use one on a temporary basis.

Myth #6 - A smoke alarm will alert you before the fire actually starts

• While some detectors can identify a fire in the very early stages – the smoldering phase – they’re not smart enough to sound off before the fire starts. That being said, having smoke detectors on every floor of your home is important. Batteries should be tested regularly and changed every six months.

We hope learning the truth about some of these myths will help you save money, and be more safe. Another way to save money and keep your home safer is to let us help you find better home insurance coverage for for fewer dollars each month so contact our agency at (386) 218-4951 or click here to get a quote right now.