Follow these tips on dealing with your HVAC system.
When you start making calls to get someone to help with your HVAC system, it’s a good idea to know what system you have before that phone call. Know the brand name and model number. It is also helpful to have the maintenance history. This will let you know that you’re able to give the contractor the information that can help them.
Clean your fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Clean the outside of your condenser as well.
Tour your home before calling a contractor. Find out which rooms are hot and which are cold. Give this information to your contractor when they arrive.
Be sure to clean 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 could overheat and cause your system to malfunction by overheating.
Know what work you want done before you select an HVAC contractor. They won’t be able to offer you a quote if they haven’t seen your system. Being unable to explain what has been already done will make it even harder. Be sure to find this out ahead of time.
Sae 20 Oil
Cleaning the blades and coils will help the system run better. Except when cleaning the outside, turn the unit off when performing any type of maintenance. Remove leaves and debris from the outdoor unit.
Lubricate your fan condenser once a year. You can find the ports covered with rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
When you are choosing a location for the outdoor compressor unit, it’s preferable to use a shaded area. The cooler the air that the unit is able to access, the less work it has to perform.
Put your outdoor unit in the shade if you are installing them.
As the temperature outside drops, remember to turn off your outdoor condenser unit. To avoid damage, units should be turned off when temperatures are below 60 degrees. You will save in repair bills and increase the efficiency of your system.
Have your HVAC system serviced at least yearly. This should happen in the fall and malfunctions.
If the house is yours or you’re permitted to, replace the windows that are single pane with windows that are double pane. Having a double pane window helps limit your need for air conditioning during the summer months. Your home will also stay warmer in the winter.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double pane ones. This will also help you keep in the winter.
Regular maintenance of your unit should be performed annually. This inspection will ensure that your unit is working efficiently, including a freon level and motor check, and oiling moving parts. All of these little jobs will add up to big savings in energy use, with the improved efficiency.
During the service check, the system motor will be inspected, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These few simple things will help your system to run its peak performance.
If nobody is home, turn off the AC. The house will heat up, but not too much. The longer the unit stays on, the more it ends up costing you in energy bills.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line might also freeze up.If you see this happen, put your thermostat over to fan.If this doesn’t work, call in help.
Use online AC sizing calculators to figure out what size unit you need. Buying a unit that is too large for your home is a poor decision that wastes money. Check the manufacturer’s handbook to see what amount of space the unit can effectively cool.
Ask your friends and family for their HVAC contractor recommendations. People will tell you who have had a good experience are worth calling. This will also let you to avoid undesirable companies.
Speak with someone close to you to see if they can recommend someone good to service their HVAC unit. Those who have had a great experience should have no issue giving you this info. This will prevent you from getting scammed.
There are many sites now that let customers share their reviews. This will help you would like to work with.
If you don’t know who you should call to repair, install and maintain your HVAC systems, check out reviews online. Many Internet sites let customers discuss experiences with certain companies. This is a good way to find decent people to hire.
Think about having a radiant barrier in your attic so support the efficient functioning of 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 home and the outside. You may even find that you can use your attic as part of your living space more effectively.
Contractors charge different rates, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save a lot of cash simply by doing your homework. Compare the rates of at least 5 or 6 contractors to help you decide on the most reasonable rate for the job you need done.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your unit seems to not be working efficiently. When the leaks are repaired, the tests will pay for themselves.
A radiant barrier is something that you may want to consider. This will block heat from coming in, which means that less energy will be needed to keep your home cool. If you install the unit properly, you can even begin to use the attic as a bedroom as it will be so comfortable!
If the HVAC unit makes a clicking noise, immediately start looking for any obstructions. Often it is being caused by debris hitting the fans in your cooling system. Check the fan and coil before calling a professional.
Be sure to test for leaks in the ducts if your system seems inefficient. This is a job your local utility provider may do for you inexpensively or even free of charge. Paying for the test is fine as repairing the leaks will pay for itself quickly.
Make sure they are tightly sealed so air inside. You can get these tested at little to no charge by a professional to test them all for you and often this testing is free.
For top efficiency, figure out what direction your home faces. You can help keep your home cool with the strategic placement of trees. The less heat inside the house, the less time that the AC has to work.
Measure the area you wish to cool before buying a unit. You generally need 20 BTU for each square foot of space. If you need to cool multiple rooms, be sure to add their square footage together.
Choose an efficient and knowledgeable HVAC company. This will ensure that the job is done efficiently. A knowledgeable technician will also easily diagnose any problems with your HVAC. This will maximize your overall satisfaction.
If all you have is a corner spot, make certain that the air does not point towards a wall.
Ask a contractor about their experience prior to hiring them. You need to be sure that they’re able to do the work and have done it before. Although there’s no guarantee that a worker with less experience won’t do the work correctly, it’s better to avoid any problems.
Always request references prior to hiring any contractor.
Know what’s included in any repair work you contract. The contractors can overcharge later for items like material and fee costs and charges. Solid written contracts can help you avoid these issues.
Any HVAC contractor or installer should have an emergency hotline. They should be there when you need them, be it in the middle of a heatwave or in the worst snowstorm of the year.
You should cover the condenser on your HVAC unit during the winter. This helps the condenser last longer if it is protected when not in use. Don’t run the compressor if the temperature dips into the 50s. Switch on the fan instead and do not put strain on the unit.
Cover your condenser when the winter time. This will help your unit is sustained when not being used. Use the fan setting only to avoid putting strain on the condenser unit.
Any time that you are given a quote for HVAC work, it’s vital that you them to do a heat-loss calculation, too. This calculation will ascertain what the correct BTU is for the system you need for your home or business. This includes counting doors and windows, checking all the insulation and measuring the total internal space of your home.
Always check out any references that are given to you by a prospective HVAC contractor.
Take advantage of the opportunity to add a programmable thermostat when you are putting in new heating and air-conditioning or repairing your old system. This can save you a great deal on your energy bills because your system rests while you are comfortably warm asleep in bed.
Consider a programmable thermostat installed.This can save you a great deal on your bills because when you adjust the temperature to sync with your system rests while you are comfortably warm asleep in bed.
An Energy Star system is really the way to go when it comes to your HVAC. This will save you a ton of money during the year. These are set by the U.S. The EPA is who governs Energy Star guidelines. Spending time looking into these units could lead to long-term savings on your energy costs.
You may be surprised to discover that as much as 66% of households have ducts that leak. This can result in as much as one fourth of your total utility bills. Sealing the ducts is something you can do easily and cheaply, and it may reduce energy costs greatly in the future.
Use a contractor that makes use of Energy Star products. Products with the Energy Star symbol meet energy guidelines set by the EPA. This helps save you money on your energy bills during the year.
Look for HVAC contractors that use Energy Star products and equipment. This rating means that is required by the product is more efficient than those without it. This means that they can help you save money on utility bills.
Make sure the owner’ manual is handy when you use the unit. There are many tips in this manual that can be of great help should a big issue occur. If your manual has been misplaced, you can request another one at the manufacturer’s website.
Hvac System
Comfort comes with a working HVAC system. Your home will not be livable without a well maintained HVAC system. Do not let this happen; keep these tips in mind, and keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
