It can be quite upsetting to arrive home at the end of the day to discover your air conditioner or heating unit isn’t working right.The tips are great for helping you in this process.
Know what type of system you currently have before calling someone to fix it. It is important to understand what model it is and which brand it is. Also, if it has been serviced before, you should have that information handy. This will ensure that you can give your new contractor all the information they need.
Lubricate your condenser at least once each year. You will see rubber or metal cap covering them.Use a lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, putting 10 drops in each port.
Don’t hire a contractor until you know a little about what you are facing. It’s hard to get an estimate since they haven’t look at your system. Getting an estimate will be even more difficult if you cannot adequately describe the problem. Having this information handy will make the process much smoother.
Put outdoor units in places with shade.
The coils and blades on the fans should be cleaned once a year. Turn it off first so you don’t get hurt or break something. Then you need to get the grill popped off and get the blades out so you can clean them and your unit gently.
Be sure to have the HVAC unit in your home checked about two times every year. This should happen in the fall and again in the spring.
Keep your outdoor units free of debris when you are mowing the lawn. When you work with your lawn mower, make sure it spits the grass to the side opposite of your unit. When blowing leaves, do the same. Always take care when passing your HVAC units while moving leaves, grass or other debris.
Turn off any outdoor condenser when it becomes cold out. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This will help keep the system running efficiently for many years to come.
Lubricate the oil ports on your condenser once each year. They are usually fitted with a rubber or metal cap. Choose an oil graded SAE 20, it is non-detergent and lightweight. Place about 10 drops into each of the ports, taking care that it does not overfill.
It is a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double pane ones. This same effect also helps keep it warm in during the winter months.
If you need to decide the best place to put your outdoor compressor unit, consider putting it in a location that is in the shade. If it sucks in cool air, it will need to work less to coll the air inside, which can make it last longer.
During the visit, the contractor will oil parts, the moving parts will be oiled and the freon levels will be checked These few simple things will help your system to run at its best.
Get your HVAC unit serviced two times per year. Most homeowners choose to have their unit inspected during the spring and the fall months. This helps prepare for the coming weather changes of summer and winter. Although there might not be any noticeable issues, it is important to provide regular upkeep to prevent bad things from happening.
Do not let your house to get dangerously hot. Air conditioners really can only cool down 20 degrees or so within a reasonable time period. If the temperature in your home reaches 100 degree Fahrenheit, it will only cool off to about 80F. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
A programmable thermostat can really help you out when it comes to your power bills. A thermostat that’s programmable is going to save you around ten percent on the heating and cooling costs you have to pay when you turn it back about fifteen percent for a part of the day. This will save you a lot of money during the year.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If this is something you notice, try switching your thermostat to just the fan so that it disables the compressor. You should call a pro to fix this problem, but switching to the fan will make the ice melt.
You can keep energy costs in your home lower by choosing to have professional maintenance done on your HVAC unit. During this service visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. This ensures your system runs smoothly.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your home. Look in the manual to determine the recommended size for air conditioners.
Don’t let your home get way too hot to where it’s dangerous. AC units will only cool a house down 20 degrees. If the temperature in your home rises above 100 degrees, you will only be able to cool it down to 80. Depending on humidity levels, this isn’t even a safe temperature for a human body to sleep at to recover from summer heat.
There are a number of great sites out there that let customers talk about the service they were treated by services. This is useful for finding people that you want to hire and also with those you want to avoid.
Air conditioners occasionally freeze up, literally. The drain line can freeze, making you think it’s a plumbing leak. If this is something you notice, switch the thermostat in your home to fan only so the compressor is disabled. If the problem persists be sure to call in a professional.
Are you looking at purchasing a new heating and cooling system? You need to take a few things into account. Systems get rated according to the total area they can effectively heat or cool. You are better off purchasing a unit rather than purchasing one that is a bit too small.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit you need for your home. If you make the mistake of purchasing a unit that is too large, it will not cool efficiently. Read over the owner’s manual to see the manufacturers suggestions as to the cooling capacity of the unit for the most accurate information.
If the HVAC unit makes a clicking noise, see if there is any debris in it. Often the issue is some sort of debris that’s hitting the fans in your cooling system. Look carefully at this prior to calling a service technician.
If you don’t know who you should call to repair, install and maintain your HVAC systems, check out reviews online. There are plenty of online websites that give people the opportunity to leave comments about the service they received. This is useful for finding people that you wish to work with and those that you don’t.
Make certain they have tight seals to keep air can’t seep in.You can also hire someone to test them all for you and often this testing is free.
Check around and get a number of quotes prior to hiring a contractor. Getting several quotes will ultimately help you save lots of money. Get in touch with more than a few contractors to best understand the going rate.
Square Footage
Put a radiant barrier in your attic and what your HVAC performance improve. This will block the heat that comes in. If you do it right, you may be able to expand your living space into your attic.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioner shopping. You will need about 20 BTU for each square footage of the area to be cooled. If you have multiple rooms to cool, get their square footage added together.
If the system you’re using now isn’t working great, then check the ducts for some leakage. Often your utility company is willing to test this for you, and it may be free or lower in cost than you would get with a contractor. When you repair the leaks, the tests will pay for themselves.
Replace the air filter to keep your HVAC system every month. This represents an easy thing to do and it will keep your HVAC system running well.
For top efficiency, figure out what direction your home faces. If your home is surrounded by strategically planted trees, they can often block out the morning sunlight. The less heat inside the house, the less time that the AC has to work.
Pick an HVAC companies that know what they’re doing and works quickly to solve the problem. The most reliable companies make sure their technicians stay on schedule. A licensed technician will also have no problem diagnosing any potential faults with your HVAC unit quickly. After diagnosis, it’s just a matter of time before they have it back and running properly.
If you hear a clicking noise coming from your HVAC unit, immediately start looking for any obstructions. Often the issue is some sort of debris that’s hitting the fans in the cooling system. Get rid of this obstruction and that should take care of the problem. Look carefully at it before you call up a service technician.
Use these tips to keep your HVAC system in tip-top condition. Coming home to find no air coming out of the vents is not a good feeling. It’s even worse to think about how much it will cost to fix. With these tips, all of this may be prevented. Remember these hints when taking care of your HVAC system.
Seek references when hiring an HVAC contractor. Ask these references if the job was what they expected, if it was done in a timely manner and on budget. This can assure you hire someone trustworthy.
