Anyone that has an HVAC systems in their home knows how it important it is to have it running right. An improperly or inefficiently functioning HVAC system that doesn’t work right is something that costs quite a bit of money. This article will give you keep your HVAC unit in tip top shape.
Tour your home before calling a contractor. Note which rooms are hot and which are cold. Doing so can help your technician fix your HVAC issue quickly.
Know the name and type of system you currently have before looking for a repair person. This will enable you know that you’re able to give your chosen contractor any information they might need.
Before you choose an HVAC contractor, have an idea in your mind of what needs to be done. If you can’t describe the problem, you may not get an accurate quote. It will be more difficult for him to assist you over the phone without the information readily available. Having this information handy will make the process much smoother.
Know what work you need before you select an HVAC contractor.It will be hard for a contractor to provide you a price estimate over the phone without knowing what your current setup is. It will be way more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Clean your outdoor condensers often. After a wind or rain storm things may pile up, causing problems with your system. Also, you are risking your system overheating.
Be sure to clean debris from external condenser units regularly. Debris can pile up after a storm, and this can foul up the inner workings of your system.It will damage the system to malfunction by overheating.
When spring rolls around, give the condenser fan blades and coils a good clean. First, the power should be turned off so things don’t move as you work. Then, remove the grill, then remove the blades and begin the cleaning process of the blades and the unit.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outdoor condenser.Aim the grass in the unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in the yard.
As the leaves are falling off the trees, your HVAC system can really take a hit. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often during the fall. If your fan is obstructed, it can keep your system from working properly.
Sae 20 Oil
Make sure your HVAC unit is in the shade. This will help you save on your energy bill.
Lubricate your condenser once a year. You can find these ports covered with rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
Condenser units for the outdoors should be shut off when it starts to get cold outside. Once the temperature drops into the 50s, the unit should no longer be on. This will help keep it in good condition for many years.
Put your outdoor units in the shade if you are installing them.
Double pane your windows to prevent drafts. Double-pane windows keep inside air cooler, allowing you to reduce AC usage in the summertime. It also facilitates heat retention in winter.
Make sure you have your HVAC systems is checked at least twice a year. This should be done in the fall and the spring.
Don’t allow your home to overheat. Even the best air conditioners can only realistically cool your home approximately 20 degrees Farenheit. So if your home is 100ºF, you’ll only get the temperature down to about 80. If humidity is high, this temp is still unsafe for people.
Turn off your outdoor condenser when weather turns cold. This means that you should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This will help keep the life of your unit.
Make sure to make a well-informed decision on the size of your HVAC. If you purchase a unit that’s too large, it will not be efficient since it’ll cool the same. You can look online or do other research to get information from HVAC system manufacturers and sellers in order to determine the best unit size for your needs.
During a maintenance visit, the contractor will oil parts, the moving parts will be oiled and the freon levels will be checked These things will boost the performance of your system running at peak performance.
Speak with family and friends to get a recommendation for a reputable HVAC contractor. People will tell you who they have used and if they are worth calling. This can also help you to figure out some names of businesses that you should avoid at all costs.
Don’t ever let your home temperature get dangerously hot. Air conditioners can only cool a home down about 20 degrees Fahrenheit within a reasonable amount of time. If the temperature in your home reaches 100 degree Fahrenheit, you’ll only cool down to still above 80. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
If you aren’t sure who to call for HVAC maintenance, repairs, or installation, look online for reviews. There are plenty of online websites that give people the opportunity to leave comments about the service they received. This can help filter out the people you would like to work with.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit is necessary for your home. Look at the manual or on the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure to get multiple quotes. Making some phone calls before deciding is a good way to save money. Contact a minimum of five contractors so you can determine realistically what the price will be.
Companies that have been around for longer have a proven track records typically provide better service. Hiring a newer contractor comes with an element of risk.
Do you wish to buy a new cooling and heating system? You probably have many options available to you. 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.
There are plenty of websites online that let customers share their service experiences. This is a good way to locate contractors that you wish to work and those that are poor.
When you hear an odd clicking noise coming from your HVAC unit, you should immediately begin to look for any obstructions. Sometimes there is debris that gets in the fan’s way. Get rid of the debris and this will no longer be an issue. Check it out before spending on a contractor.
Are you thinking about having a new HVAC system? You could keep a few important things. Systems have ratings according to the total area they effectively cool and heat. You are wise to err on the side of a bigger unit that is slightly too large for your needs than purchasing one that is a bit too small.
You need to measure the space of your home so you can purchase the proper size unit. This calculation will tell you how many BTU’s you need. Calculate the total square footage of all rooms if you will use the air conditioner to cool more than one room.
Figure out the direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The less heat in your home, the less you’ll have to use your air conditioner to cool things off.
Replace the air filter to keep your HVAC system working well. This represents an easy way to keep your system working well. Filters are relatively cheap, so it does not cost much to do this.
If your HVAC system is clicking, look for an obstruction. Sometimes debris that gets in the cooling system fans. Look carefully at the system before you call up a service technician.
Think about the air flow direction of your A/C when figuring out where to put it. If it has to be placed in a corner, make sure your unit permits airflow to be redirected.
Make certain they are tightly sealed so air can’t seep in. You can hire a professional to test them.
Before you hire an HVAC contractor to perform work on your system, learn about their experience level. Make sure they are experienced doing the kind of work that you need. While there is no guarantee a less experienced worker will not perform the job correctly, you don’t want to take any chances.
Measure the area that requires air conditioner shopping.You can figure out the unit you need 20 BTU per square foot. If you have a lot of rooms to keep cool, combine all the square footage.
Ask any contractor you’re thinking of hiring for references. You need to know if previous clients have gotten what they needed, like timely service within their budget. The references will help you avoid wasting your money on someone that is not professional.
Ask any potential contractor about their experience prior to hiring them. You need to verify they have the sort of experience needed to work on your particular system.
Cover your condenser in the winter. It prolongs the lifespan. If the temperature outside is lower than sixty, do not use the compressor. You should use the fan instead since this will stop your unit from getting strained.
Now that you’ve read the advice above, you should know more about how to keep an HVAC running for a long time. A faulty HVAC unit is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. It can cost a lot of money to repair and eat up a lot of time. Keep these tips handy so you can refer to them as needed.
Make sure to contact any references you get from prospective contractors. Too many people just assume these contactors are legitimate becuase they offered these references freely, but if you don’t actually check them out, there could be serious consequences. It only takes a couple minutes to call to check a person out by calling, so don’t worry about doing that.
