Everyone who owns an HVAC unit is aware that maintenance is important. An HVAC system wastes a lot of money. This article can help you tips to keep your HVAC in optimal condition.
If your HVAC system us giving you issues, take a look around the house prior to calling a contractor. Determine which rooms feel cold and which feel hot. This will help your contractor quickly determine where the issue lies and how to get it fixed quickly and easily.
Clean your condenser’s fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.
Cleaning the blades and coils will help the system run better. Before you clean the surface, be sure to turn off the power. Remove leaves and debris from the condenser outside.
Turn it off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Then, pop off its grills, pull the blades out, and gently clean them as well as the unit itself.
Clean your outdoor condensers often. Leaves, twigs and other troublesome objects can accumulate, particularly after very windy weather, and this will wreak havoc on your system. Also, you are risking your system overheating.
Leaves and debris can damage your HVAC unit. Make sure the unit’s fan grill is cleaned often during the fall. The fan must be unobstructed to work properly, and if debris is blocking this air flow, then your system could suffer.
Do not allow grass clippings to cover the outdoor unit of your HVAC system. Direct the grass clippings in a direction away from the HVAC unit. Be just as mindful when you blow leaves to not blow them toward your HVAC equipment.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows with ones that have double pane ones. This will also keeps warm air in during the winter months.
During the fall, leaves can gather around your HVAC. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often during the fall. The fan must stay clear in order to function, and if it gets blocked, you will have to contend with problems.
Install a thermostat you can program to save energy costs. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or computer.
You must keep your HVAC systems oil ports lubricated annually. These ports are typically covered with caps made of metal or rubber. Buy an SAE 20 product that is lightweight, and then put no more than ten drops into the ports.
Don’t let your house get way too hot to where it’s dangerous. Air conditioners can only cool a home by just twenty degrees Fahrenheit within a reasonable amount of time. If the temperature in your home rises above 100 degrees, you would only be able to cool it down just above 80 degrees. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Check your unit at least twice each year. The spring and autumn times are the best time to have it checked. Even if you don’t notice anything wrong, you can check it out to figure out what the potential issues are.
Air conditioners tend to ice up.The drain line might also freeze up.If this is something that’s happening to you, disable the compressor by turning your thermostat to the fan only setting. You should call a pro to fix this problem, but switching to the fan setting should start to melt the ice.
Turn off your outdoor condenser when it’s getting cold. The unit will become damaged if you do not take care of it. This will help keep it in good condition for many years.
Companies that are well established have track records typically provide better service. Hiring a newer contractor means taking a bigger risk.
If you are a home owner, replace whatever single pane windows you have with more efficient double-paned versions. They help cool air remain inside your home, effectively cutting back on how much you have to run your air conditioner. This also helps keep it warm in the winter.
There are many sites that let customers talk about their experiences with different services. This is a good way to find decent people you want to work with and those you don’t want to work with.
You can keep energy costs in your home lower by choosing to have professional maintenance done on your HVAC unit. When they visit to service the unit they’re going to inspect the motors, oil the parts that move, and see how much freon is in your system. These few simple things will help your system to run at its peak performance.
Think about getting 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 cool when it’s hot or cold as it should be. You could even find that you can use the attic space if it is done right.
Turn off your air conditioner when no one is home to help save money. This will save you money on your energy bills. Leaving the system on all day will cost a lot of money in terms of electricity.
Are you thinking about having a new HVAC system? There are many things you must consider first. Systems have ratings according to how large an area they can effectively heat or cool. You are wise to err on the side of a unit rather than purchasing one that is a smaller one.
Ask around so you can find a reputable HVAC contractor. Find someone that has a lot of quality work under their belt. It’s also a good way to learn the names of contractors you should avoid.
Determine which way your home faces.The cooler your home already is, the less time that the AC has to work.
Check for duct leaks if your unit seems to not be working efficiently. Your local energy company may do such testing at a reduced cost or maybe even for free. Having these repaired is worth the cost of testing if you had to hire a contractor to do the job.
If the HVAC unit makes a clicking noise, see if there are any obstructions right away. The problem may be debris hitting the fans of the cooling system.Check the fan and coil before calling a contractor.
If there’s a clicking in your HVAC unit, check for any sort of obstructions immediately. Often the issue is some sort of debris that’s hitting the fans in the cooling system. Just clear the debris to remove the problem. Look at this prior to calling a technician.
Make certain they are tightly sealed so air inside. A professional can also test these for you for free.
The windows and doors in your home must be efficient in order for your HVAC to perform as efficiently as possible. They have to have a tight seal, stopping air from going in or out. You can get a professional out to help you test things and a lot of the time the testing costs nothing.
Square Footage
You need to measure the space of your home so you can purchase the proper size unit. The calculation to determine the size of the unit is typically 20 BTU for every square foot of area. If multiple rooms need cooling, just add their total square footage.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioner shopping. You can usually substitute 20 BTU per square footage of the room. If you have multiple rooms to cool, combine their square footage in your calculations.
Each month, you need to get a new air filter and install it in your unit. This is an easy way to help you keep things running well for you overall. They are very inexpensive and well worth the time and money to replace.
If you have to put the unit in a corner, get one with moving vents.
Use an HVAC company who has a lot of experience in the field. The best companies will ensure that their technicians will always be on schedule. Techs must be knowledgeable about diagnosing and repairing your system quickly. Once they know what’s wrong, they should also know how to get them resolved efficiently and quickly.
Ask any potential contractor about their experience prior to hiring them. You need to know that they have the type of experience needed to work on your particular system.
Ask any potential contractor about their experience. You want to make sure that they have experience with the type of work you need done. Less experienced workers could work out just fine, but you really shouldn’t take any chances.
Any HVAC contractor you hire 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 what.
Don’t hire a HVAC repairman unless they offer 24 Hour Emergency service. They should be available to you if a problem arises.
Some contractors will attempt to add charges on later for fuel or extra material. Having a written contract will let you avoid issues like this.
Ask every prospective contractor to do a heat-loss assessment. This will determine how much BTU your new system will need to keep your home comfortable. This number will depend on the number of doors and windows in your home.
Always follow up on any references provided to you receive for an HVAC contractor.
If you are installing a new HVAC system or even repairing your current set-up, ask your contractor about also installing a programmable thermostat. This will help you to regulate the temperature at all times.
Hvac System
To save money, try going with an HVAC unit that is an Energy Star unit. These products are manufactured to the strict standards only qualified energy products meet. These guidelines are enforced by the federal government. They are in charge of protecting the environment and human health. Choosing an Energy Star system will save you money over the life of the unit.
Do you better understand the job of your HVAC system now? Do you understand simple maintenance techniques and how to keep your system operating year-round? The last thing that anyone wants is an HVAC system that doesn’t work right, because it costs a lot of money to get that fixed. Keep these tips in mind, because they will only help you out over the life of your system.
It’s a fact that 66% or so of homes have ducts that are leaky. They can raise your utility bill by as much as 25 percent. It is inexpensive and easy to seal up ducts. You may even be able to do it on your own. You will see lower electric bills.
