Your house will feel comfortable when you have an HVAC system. Many homes already have this type of system in place, but they do need to be replaced from time to time. Knowing what you need in your HVAC system may help with buying the right one.
Before calling anyone to repair your system, know what system you have. Write down what brand your system is along with the model number and, if they’re available, maintenance records. This will facilitate the process when your contractor asks for this information.
Know what you want done before you hire a contractor. It will be difficult for an HVAC contractor to provide you a price estimate on the phone without knowing what your current setup is. It will be more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Inspect the temps in your home before you call a service to help you with any HVAC issues you’re having. Note which rooms are hot and which are cold. The contractor can probably figure out and fix the problem easier.
Clean your condenser’s fan blades and coils each spring to ensure that your condenser fan operates at it’s best. Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.
Prior to choosing an HVAC customer, try to have an idea of what you want done. It’s hard for these contractors to give phone estimates without seeing the current system you have. If you don’t have any idea, they will have trouble giving you any sort of quote. Know this stuff ahead of time.
Be sure to clean debris from external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can ruin your system. It can cause it to overheat.
Clean any debris that accumulates on an external condenser unit. Debris can pile up after a storm, bringing potential damage with it. Also, you are risking your system overheating.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outside unit. Direct the clippings away from the HVAC unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.
When you are cutting the grass, be sure not to cover your outdoor units with clippings. Now so the grass clippings are shot away from your unit. This includes grass clippings and leaves.
Your outdoor HVAC system could suffer when trees lose leaves. Make sure you clean out your fan grill often during the fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if it is clogged, you’ll have a lot of headaches eventually.
If you can choose the place where your outdoor compressor goes, pick a spot with lots of shade. If the unit is taking in cooler air, the efficiency will be boosted since it will not need to work as hard.
Sae 20 Oil
Place your HVAC unit in the shade to boost efficiency. You save money this way because the air conditioner is now pulling in cooler air, which is easier to cool further.
Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser once each year. These are often covered with rubber or metal caps. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
If you can, install double-paned windows throughout your home. In warmer months, these windows will help to maintain the cooler inside temperature. This also helps retain heated air during the colder months.
Turn off outdoor condensers you have when weather turns cold. This means that you should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This will maximize the system running efficiently for many years to come.
A good way to save money with your air conditioning is by installing a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can save you up to ten percent on your cooling and heating costs by simply turning the thermostat back ten to fifteen percent for eight hours a day. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from your smart phone or computer.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows for double pane ones. This also keeps warm air in the winter months.
If you want your energy costs to go down, have the heating an cooling system you own serviced every year at least. During your service visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. This will help your system run better.
When they come out for a service visit, oil the parts that move, and see how much freon is in your system. These easy to do things are going to allow your system running at peak performance.
When you are away from home, adjust your thermostat to a money saving temperature. The house will only heat to certain level and a decent HVAC system can quickly cool this down once you are home. When the AC is left running, your power bill will go up quite a bit.
Do not let your house to get extremely hot.Air conditioners can only really cool down a home by 20 degrees. If the temperature in your home rises above 100 degrees, it will only reduce it to 80 or more. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
Don’t allow your home to overheat. Air conditioners only cool down a home by 20 degrees. So, if you house heats up to about 95, you won’t see the temperature go below 75 for a while. Depending on what the humidity is, this may not be cool enough to be a safe temperature to sleep at when recovering from the harsh summer heat.
Air conditioners tend to ice up.The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this, change the setting on your thermostat to the fan setting and this will disable the compressor. If the issue persists, call a professional.
To know how large of an air conditioner you need, look for a calculator online. Proper sizing will increase efficiency. Look at the manual to figure out the manufacturing rates the unit for accurate cooling information.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit is necessary for your home. Look at the manual to determine the manufacturer website for this information.
Check any company you are considering to see how long it has been around. Companies with proven track records typically provide better service. Otherwise, you are taking a huge risk with the person you hire.
Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure you get quotes from several contractors before you make any hiring decision. You can save tons of money when you call different companies for many quotes. You want to get quotes from at least a handful of contractors in order to know what you should be paying.
Are you considering purchasing a new heating and cooling system? You could keep a few points in mind. The rating given to a system tells how much are it can cover. Be sure to choose a slightly too large system over a too small of one.
Think about having a radiant barrier in your attic so support the efficient functioning of your HVAC system can run better. It will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your home and the outside. You could even find that you can use the attic space if it is done right.
Make sure that your ducts are not leaking. Call your utility company if they are leaking to see about getting a test. The testing will pay for itself once you find and repair the leaks.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if you you feel your unit seems to not up to snuff. If you do end up paying, this testing will pay for itself.
Figure out which direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system more efficient. If trees are placed strategically, you can block morning sunlight that can overheat the house. The less heat inside the house, the less time that the AC has to work.
Measure the area that needs cooling before going air conditioner shopping. You generally need about 20 BTU for each square footage of room space. If more than one room needs AC service, sum their areas.
If you hear clicking inside your HVAC unit, look for an obstruction. Sometimes debris interferes with the cooling system fans. You can solve the issue by removing debris. Look carefully at it before you call up a service technician.
Pick HVAC business that know what they’re doing and works quickly to solve the problem. The most reliable companies will ensure that their technicians stay on schedule and keep appointments. A licensed technician should also easily diagnose any problems with your HVAC. After they know what the problem is, they should be able to get the work done quickly for your sake.
Take measurements of the space you are trying to cool. In general, you need 20 BTU for each square foot. If you have multiple rooms to cool, be sure to add their square footage together.
If you can only put the unit in the corner, get one with moving vents.
Gather the level of experience of the company you are working with. Make sure they are experienced with the kind of work that is needed. Although there’s no guarantee that a worker with less experience won’t do the work correctly, it’s better to avoid any problems.
Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to verify they have the sort of experience needed to work on your particular system.
Find an HVAC contractor that can be contacted 24 hours a day, in case of an emergency. A good company will have repairman available in any weather situation.
Always request references prior to hiring any contractor.
The services you are paying a contractor to do should be clearly spelled out in your contract. There are contractors that will try to overcharge you later for things like fuel charges and material fees. A contract will really help you if something like this materializes.
Any HVAC contractor or installer should have a 24-hour emergency number available to customers around the clock. They need to be able to come to a home when needed, no matter how extreme the weather or what time of day it may be.
A thick cover over the outdoor condenser will protect it from serious damage during the cold, winter months. This will allow it to last longer when you’re not using it. Also, it is not a good idea to run a compressor when the temperature dips below 60 degrees. Instead, just use the fan if need be.
Investing in your HVAC is a must. If you need a new one, or if your old one needs maintenance or repairs, these tips will come in handy. This can help you make a solid guess as to what to buy so that you can get a system you’re content with.
Before you hire an HVAC contractor, research their references. When a contractor voluntarily gives references, many assume they are legit. This may be a mistake. It doesn’t take long to check out someone’s references, so do it.
