Follow these helpful tips to put yourself in the best position.
Before you choose someone to do HVAC work, figure out what they need to do for you. A contractor will be hard pressed to provide you with an over-the-phone estimate if unfamiliar with your system. If you can’t explain changes you’ve made, the process will be even more difficult. This is information that you should have prepared in advance.
Clean your condenser’s fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Clean the outside of your external condenser unit regularly.
To make sure your condenser fan works properly, keep the fan blades and the coils clean. The power to the unit should be removed before you begin any maintenance, even cleaning. Remove leaves and debris from the outdoor unit.
Don’t get grass clippings on your outdoor condenser. Aim your grass cuttings in a direction from the unit. This applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.
If there are condenser units as part of your HVAC system, clean them often as they tend to have lots of debris. You can never tell when things will pile up, especially following rain or wind storms. These can wreak havoc on your units. If you do not, the unit may get too hot and cause additional problems.
Your outdoor HVAC system could suffer when your trees lose leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned frequently when the leaves begin to fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if it gets blocked, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.
Your outdoor HVAC units might suffer when your trees lose leaves. Be sure to clean your fan grill frequently when trees nearby are shedding. The air needs to be unobstructed into the fan, and any blockages create performance issues for the whole system.
Have the HVAC serviced twice per year. This should happen in the fall and malfunctions.
Try to choose a shady place to locate the outdoor compressor device. If you have a unit taking in air that’s cooler, it won’t have to work so hard to cool air that it sends to your home.
Turn off any outdoor condensers you have when weather turns cold. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This will help keep it in good condition for many years to come.
If the current location of your HVAC unit outside isn’t working, try having it moved to an area with more shade. The air in the shade is cooler and can help save on energy costs.
A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help save money on your air conditioning costs. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or computer.
Your system should be checked twice a year. Checks in the spring as well as in autumn are the best. Even if everything seems fine, check things out to find potential problems.
During your service visit, professionals can help by inspecting the system’s motor, oil the different moving parts as well as check the system’s freon levels. These few simple things are going to allow your system to run at its best.
Install a programmable thermostat to save energy costs. This will help you to keep the temperature at optimal levels. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from your smart phone or computer.
Don’t ever let your home temperature get dangerously hot. An air conditioning unit is really only able to reduce the temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. If your home gets above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then you will only be able to reasonably cool to around 80. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Avoid allowing your home to ever get exceedingly hot. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. A home that is over one hundred degrees will only be cooled to around eighty. Depending on the levels of humidity, that is not a safe temperature when it comes to sleeping or escaping from the heat of summer.
Research and check the reputation of companies that you consider using. Check them out at the BBB and online reviews as well. This can help you have to do in order to make a smart decision.
When you’re purchasing an HVAC system, make sure that you get a unit that is properly sized for your space. 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 figure out the manufacturing rates the unit for accurate cooling information.
Look for calculators online to truly understand what size of unit you need for your room or home.Look at the manual or on the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
How long has the contractor been in business? Obviously, a company with a longer history and a positive reputation is the better choice. Hiring a new contractor means taking a bigger risk.
Companies that are well established have track records that haven’t been. Hiring a contractor can be risky.
If you need a HVAC contractor, try and get recommendations from family and friends. People will tell you who they have used and if they are worth calling. You are likely to also hear about negative experiences.
Ask around so you are looking for a HVAC contractor. People that have used and if they are usually more than willing to share this information. This can also help you know which companies to stay away from.
Install a radiant barrier in your attic to boost HVAC efficiency. 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 outside. If this is installed correctly, it will give you the ability to actually use your attic as extra space to live in.
There are many sites that let customers share their service experiences. This is an awesome way to locate contractors to work with.
Do you need a new HVAC unit? There are things you must consider first. For example, the ratings on most systems describe how much space they can work to cool or heat. Be sure to choose a slightly too large system over a too small of one.
Contractors are responsible for their own charges and fees, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save quite a bit of cash simply by doing your homework. You may want to get quotes from at least a handful of contractors to determine what reasonable rates are.
If you would like your HVAC unit to be more efficient, simply look at where the front of your home faces. Strategically placed trees can block sunlight and help keep the home cooler without the use of an AC unit. If there is less heat in the home from sunlight, then the HVAC will require less work to actually cool the home.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if your unit seems to not up to snuff. When the leaks are repaired, you may see that the testing pays for itself.
Replacing your unit’s air filter each month is a key maintenance task. This will help your unit run properly. Filters are cheap, and changing them regularly adds up to long term savings.
Figure out which direction your home is facing so your HVAC system more efficient. The less amount of heat inside of your home, the less time your air conditioner will have to work.
Find out how much experience a given contractor has before you hire him or her. The best contractor for the job will have ample experience working with HVAC systems similar to the one you are using. You minimize the chances of bad service this way.
Hvac System
Ideally, your contractor should have emergency services available. Your system can go out after hours, and if you need help, you want someone who can be there at any time of the day.
A working HVAC system contributes greatly to the comfort of your home. Many homeowners choose to neglect these units until it is too late and they begin malfunctioning, which can lead to expensive repairs or even an entire replacement! Don’t allow these types of things to happen and use the advice here to help you be sure that your HVAC system will give you great service.
Always be very clear about what will be included in your estimate of cost on any HVAC work you have someone do. Some contractors will attempt to overcharge you on material fees and other charges. Having a written contract will let you avoid these types of issues.
