Follow these tips on dealing with your HVAC system.
Before calling anyone to repair your system, know what system you have. Know the brand name and model number. It is also helpful to have the maintenance history. In this way, you can be sure your repair person has all vital information.
If your HVAC system us giving you issues, try touring your home before calling a professional. This information will help the repairman determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
Your outside condenser fan can be helped to run better by you cleaning the fan blades and coils prior to summer starting up. Always turn the unit off before you do anything to it, including leaning. Also, make sure you remove any debris or leaves from the condenser unit outside.
Clean your condenser’s fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.
Clean the condenser on your debris regularly. Particularly after bad weather, you should inspect your unit. Overheating could occur, which will be problematic.
Don’t get grass clippings pile up against your outdoor condenser. Aim your grass cuttings in a direction away from the unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in the yard.
Keep your outdoor units free of debris when your cutting grass. Turn your lawnmower in the opposite direction. This is the same if you are using a leaf blower.
Your HVAC system could suffer when your trees begin dropping their leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often once nearby trees start shedding their leaves. The fan must stay clear in order to function, and if it is clogged, you will have to contend with problems.
If you want to know where you should put an outdoor compressor, you should place it somewhere where there is a lot of shade. In this way, it will be cooling air that is already somewhat cooled. This saves energy.
Sae 20 Oil
A programmable thermostat can help you save money on your air conditioning bill. Programmable thermostats can reduce your power HVAC energy costs by as much as ten percent, just by dialing back your thermostat ten or fifteen percent up to eight daily hours. Also, you can find a thermostat that is controllable from a computer or smart phone.
Lubricate your fan condenser at least once each year. You can easily find these ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
Service your HVAC yearly. The motor should be checked, the parts oiled and the freon levels inspected. These simple things will keep your system running at peak performance.
Put your outdoor units in places with shade.
Don’t let your home get way too hot to where it’s dangerous. Air conditioners can cool a home by just twenty degrees in a short time. A home that is over one hundred degrees will only be cooled to around eighty. When you factor in humidity, this can still be dangerously hot for the human body at rest.
Have your heating and cooling system serviced twice a year. This should happen in the fall and malfunctions.
Research multiple contractors before choosing one. You may also want to check with the BBB for information. Doing these things beforehand will allow you to make a smart decision.
Turn off your outdoor condensers you have when it becomes cold out. This means that you should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This helps the system working for years and will have to be repaired less often.
Look for sizing calculators based on the air conditioner you have to figure out how big of a unit you need in your home. Buying a unit that is too large for your home is a poor decision that wastes money. Use the manual to determine what size is right for you.
A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help save money on your air conditioning bill. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or other device.
Ask people you know for recommendations if you need to hire a contractor for an HVAC system. People that have gotten great work done in the past generally love to share the information they know about it. This will also provide you with good information on which contractors you should avoid hiring.
Never let your home to rise to a dangerously high level. Air conditioners can only really cool a home down 20 degrees or so within a reasonable time period. If your home gets above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you would only be able to cool it down just above 80 degrees. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
You can always search the Internet when you aren’t entirely sure who you should call for proper HVAC repair or maintenance. You have a choice of review sites to use. This will help you to sort out the good from the bad.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line might also freeze up.If you see this happen, switch your thermostat to fan only to disable the compressor. You should leave the repair to a professional, but switching to the fan will make the ice melt.
If your current system isn’t working well enough, test out the ducts for leaks. You can call in your local utility company to do the testing for you, often for free or at a lower cost than a contractor. You’ll see the test pays for itself once all leaks are fixed.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your room or home. Look at the manual or on the recommended size for this information.
Which way does your home face? If you have some trees that are placed in good spots, you can be sure they block the sunlight during the morning. A cooler home means less work for your air conditioner.
Companies that are well established have track records that haven’t been. Hiring a contractor comes with an element of risk.
If your HVAC system is producing any type of clicking sounds, there may be something obstructing it. Sometimes there is debris that gets in the fan’s way. Removal of the debris should solve the issue. See if you can do it yourself before getting a professional.
Ask around so you can find a HVAC contractor. People who’ve had done in the past are usually willing to tell of it. This can also help you avoid scammers.
If you do only one thing for HVAC maintenance, it ought to be replacing the air filter. This will help your unit run properly. Also, this will not cost a lot of money.
There are a number of great sites out there that let customers to share their experiences with different services. This will be an excellent way to locate people you should work with and those that you don’t.
Choose an HVAC contractor who know what he is doing and works quickly. You want one that maintains a schedule. The technicians need to also know what to do to figure out what’s going wrong with an HVAC unit quickly. After they figure out what is causing the problem, it should be taken care of right away.
Think about getting a radiant barrier installed in your attic so your HVAC system can run better. It blocks outside heat from coming in which will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your unit stays hot or cold as it should be. You could even use the attic space if it is done right.
Understand where the air flows in your home and use that information to determine where to put your AC unit. If you have no choice but to put it in the corner, be sure to buy a unit which allows for the air flow direction to be changed away from the wall.
To make your home liveable and comfortable, your HVAC system is an important part of that. Without proper maintenance, you will not feel comfortable in your home. You can avoid this catastrophe by reading the tips above once more and implementing them within your home.
Before you hire someone to do work with an HVAC system they need to tell you about the experience they’ve had in the past. The contractor should be experienced in handling the kind of work that you require. It’s best to find someone who knows what they’re doing.
