A quality HVAC system that works is important for an enjoyable home. However, if your system fails, it can be a nightmare.Learning about your unit minimizes the chances of a breakdown; these tips will prove very useful.
If your HVAC system is acting up, take a tour of the house prior to calling a professional. Make note of which rooms are cold and which are hot. Taking this step aids a contractor in figuring out what the problem is and how to repair it as quickly as possible.
If you struggle with your HVAC, tour your home before calling a technician. This will help the contractor determine where 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. Except when cleaning the outside, turn the unit off when performing any type of maintenance. The outside condenser unit should be kept free of leaves and other debris.
Know what work you want done before you hire a contractor. It will be difficult for a contractor to provide you with an estimate on the phone without knowing what your current system. It will be way more hard if you don’t know what’s wrong.
Make sure your condenser fan is in good working order by wiping down the fan blades and the coils. Before you do anything, however, turn the power off. Then remove the grill, remove the blades and clean it from top to bottom gently.
Be sure to clean external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It can also cause the unit to overheat and break down.
Leaves and debris can damage your system. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often during the fall. The fan needs to have an unobstructed path for air to enter the unit, and if it becomes blocked, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.
Put outdoor unit in the shade if you are installing them.
If your condenser comes with oil ports, you should lubricate it yearly. You’ll see that the ports here are closed with a rubber or metal cap. Put 10 drops of lightweight, non-detergent SAE oil in each port. Be careful not to use too much.
Have your HVAC system checked twice a year at least yearly. This should happen in the fall and again in the spring.
Put outdoor units in the shade if you are installing them. This will ensure cool air is sucked in, meaning less cooling must be done by the unit.
It is always a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double panes. This same effect also helps keep it warm air in during the winter months.
Update the windows in your home to double-paned if you own it. Windows that are double pane keep the cool air in and can greatly reduce the amount of time your air conditioner will need to run. It also facilitates heat retention in winter.
During the visit, professionals can help by inspecting the system’s motor, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These easy to do things will keep your system to run its best.
Make sure that your AC is turned off when you are not using it. The house will only heat to certain level and a decent HVAC system can quickly cool this down once you are home. Obviously, if you leave your air conditioning set at a low temperature all day long even if you’re not home, you’ll be paying to maintain that low temperature.
Never allow your home to rise to a dangerously high level. An AC unit is really only able to reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. If your home become 100F or more, then you will only be able to reasonably cool to around 80. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
Don’t let your house get too hot. It takes quite a while to cool a home by more than 20 degrees. If the temperature in your home reaches 100 degree Fahrenheit, it will only reduce it to 80 or more. Taking into consideration the humidity level, this may not even be adequate for the human body to recover from excessive heat while sleeping.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your home. Look at the manual or on the recommended size for this information.
When you want a HVAC contractor who is reliable, you need to spend some time in researching the background and reputation of several potential companies. You may also want to check with the BBB for information. Investing the time to check out potential contractors can save you money and headaches.
Ask around so you are looking for a HVAC contractor. People that have had a good experience are often happy to share the name of their contractor. This will also be used to see who you to avoid undesirable companies.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up. You may even encounter a freeze in your drain line which is often confused with a plumbing leak. If you see this, try switching your thermostat to just the fan so that it disables the compressor. Talk to a professional if you are unsure of how to do this.
There are quite a lot of sites these days that allow customers talk about their experiences with contractors. This will be an excellent way to locate people that you should work with and those that you don’t.
Find an air conditioner calculator online to determine what models are best for you. While you might think that a larger HVAC system is always better, in fact, larger systems sometimes are not the best choice for a particular space. Look at the manual to determine the recommended size for air conditioners.
Contractors are responsible for their own charges and fees, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save some cash simply by doing your homework. You may want to call at least a handful of contractors in order to know what reasonable rates are.
Figure out how long the HVAC company you choose has been in business. Companies that are around awhile have a better record than those that haven’t been. Hiring a new contractor comes with an element of risk.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your existing system is not be working efficiently.If you do have leaks that are repaired, the money spent on finding and repairing the leak will pay for itself.
Determine the direction that your home faces. Strategically placed trees outside your home can block out the morning sun which can cause your home to overheat. The cooler your home already is, the less work your AC will have to do.
Figure out which direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The less amount of heat inside of your home, the easier time the air conditioner in your home will have.
If you hear a clicking noise coming from the HVAC unit, see if there is any debris in it. Often the problem will be some kind of debris hitting your fans in your cooling system. Simply get rid of the debris to get rid of the issue. See if you can do it yourself before getting a professional.
Make certain they are tightly sealed so air inside. You can also hire someone to test things and a lot of the time the testing costs nothing.
Replacing your unit’s air filter each month is a key maintenance task. This is a very simple job and it keeps the system running at maximum efficiency. They are very inexpensive and well worth the time and money to replace.
Measure the living area that needs cooling before going air conditioner shopping. You can easily calculate this by using the formula: 20 BTUs per square foot of room space. If more than one room needs AC service, be sure to add their square footage together.
Always get some references prior to hiring any contractor. You want to make sure that the contractor has satisfied previous customers. This will keep the scam artists away, but this only works by actually following up on the references.
Replace the air filter in your HVAC system working well.This is an easy thing that you can do to keep your unit running well.
You should make sure the contractor you hire to repair or install your HVAC system has a hotline for emergencies that is available all day. You should have the ability to get them out to your home, whether it is the midst of a horrible heat wave or a snow storm.
Pick an HVAC companies that understands the unit and can work quickly. The best companies will ensure that their technicians will always be on schedule and keep appointments. The technicians need to also be able to diagnose problems in your HVAC unit quickly. After they know what the problem is, it should be taken care of right away.
Your HVAC will perform better during the winter if you protect the condenser with a cover. When the condenser is not being used, the cover will help it to last much longer. Do not use the compressor if the temperature drops below 60 degrees. Do this by simply turn on the fan so that you don’t cause the unit unnecessary strain.
Now that you’ve read these tips, you can see how you can keep your HVAC working properly. When you decide to postpone mandatory maintenance, small problems will quickly become big nightmares. Hopefully, the tips above will help you remain happy with your HVAC system for years to come.
Follow through on the references provided by the contractor. Just because they give you a list doesn’t mean they’re legitimate. It just takes a couple minutes to check them out.
