It is very frustrating to return home to find that your air conditioner or heating unit isn’t working right. The following tips are great for helping you in this process.
What do you need done? Know this before calling a contractor. This is necessary so that they can give you a quote before doing any work. They need to come look at the unit. Thus, it is worthwhile to have this knowledge ahead of time.
If problems arise with the HVAC system, tour your home before calling a technician. This information will help the contractor determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
To make sure your condenser fan works properly, keep the fan blades and the coils clean. Be safe and turn off the power supply before working on your HVAC unit. Take away all of the debris as well.
Know what you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be difficult for a contractor to give you a price estimate on the phone without knowing what your current setup is. It will be way more difficult for him to assist you can’t figure out what they need to do.
Clean the fan blades and coils on the condenser fan every spring. First, turn the power off so nothing moves when you’re working with it. Then remove the grill, remove the blades and clean it from top to bottom gently.
Clean the debris off your condenser units. Debris can pile up at rates that increase during rainy or windy weather, bringing potential damage with it. It can cause your unit.
Leaves and debris can damage your system. Whenever leaves are falling, consistently clean the fan grill. The fan must be unobstructed to work properly, and if it becomes blocked, it could cause your system to break down.
Turn the power off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Next, pop off the grill, put the blades out and start to gently clean them along with the unit.
Put outdoor condensers in the shade. It will help you save on your energy bill when you do this.
Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser once a year.These ports are often covered by a rubber or metal caps. Use a lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
Be sure to have twice annual HVAC system checks. 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. Check it out just to be safe even if there is nothing broken.
Turn off outdoor condenser units when the weather turns cold. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This helps your system remain in good condition for many years.
As the temperature outside drops, remember to turn off your outdoor condenser unit. To prevent damage, turn off your unit if the outside temperature is less than 60 degrees. This can keep your system working for years and save you a lot on repairs.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This also keeps warm in the winter months.
Don’t allow your home to become dangerously hot. Your average AC unit can only reduce the temperature in your home by about 20 degrees in a normal span of time. The temperature will only reduce to about 80 if your home heats up to 100 degrees. While it depends on the humidity, this is not safe for a human to sleep in to recover from the heat of the summer.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check with different references to determine the BBB and look for reviews of potential companies online. Doing these things beforehand will allow you to make a better decision.
Look online for a/c sizing calculators so you can really understand the unit size needed for your home or room. If you make the mistake of purchasing a unit that is too large, it will not cool efficiently. 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.
Air conditioners tend to ice up.The drain line may also freeze over. If you notice this, disable the compressor by turning your thermostat to the fan only setting. If this doesn’t work, call in help.
Always check to see how long a company or contractor has been working for. The older they are, the more likely it will be for you to find out their history, which will help you gauge their quality. Otherwise, you are taking a huge risk with the person you hire.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your home. Look in the manual to determine the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
Get a handful of quotes before accepting any. By calling around and asking a few different contractors, you can save a ton of money. Contact a minimum of five contractors so you can determine realistically what the price will be.
Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save quite a bit of money this way. You want to get quotes from at least five contractors in order to know what reasonable rates are.
Determine the direction that your home faces. Trees in certain areas can provide shade, which means your house will stay cooler. If there is less heat coming into your home, then your air conditioning unit won’t have to work as hard.
Think about having a radiant barrier in your attic so 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 may even find that you can use the attic as part of your living space if it is done right.
If there’s a clicking in your HVAC unit, check for any sort of obstructions immediately. This may be because debris is restricting the movement of the fan blades. That is a simple solution; just take the debris out. Check it out yourself first before you call in the professionals.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your existing system is not up to snuff. If you do have leaks that are repaired, the money spent on finding and repairing the leak will pay for itself.
Replace the air filter as often as possible. It is an easy thing to do yourself in order to have your system running well. Filters are inexpensive, so there is no excuse for not doing it.
Make sure they have tight seals to keep air inside. You can get a professional out to help you test them.
Choose an HVAC contractor who know what he is doing and works quickly. Good companies attend to their customers in a timely manner. These techs that come out should be quickly able to figure out the issue and remedy the problem right away. Once the technician figures out what’s wrong, they can help resolve the problems in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Measure the living area that needs cooling before buying a unit. You generally need 20 BTUs per square foot of space. If you have a lot of rooms to keep cool, just add their total square footage.
Think about the air flow direction of your A/C when figuring out where to put it. If you’re stuck with putting it in a corner, buy one that lets the air flow to be redirected so that it is not flowing towards the wall.
Hvac System
Consider what kind of experience a company has before you consider hiring any contractor for HVAC work in your home. It’s important that a contractor is experienced in the area of the kind of work you require. While there is no guarantee a less experienced worker will not perform the job correctly, you don’t want to take any chances.
Replace the air filter to keep your HVAC system every month. This is the simplest thing to do to keep your HVAC system running well.
Be sure that both parties understand the terms involved when it comes to any HVAC work that you hire a contractor to perform. Some contractors attempt to add charges on later for things such as material fees and fuel charges. A contract will really help you if something like this materializes.
Pick an HVAC companies that know what they’re doing and can work quickly. The best companies keep the technicians will always be on schedule. The tech will be able to help you and offer the best possible options. Once they are able to locate a problem, fixing it should be quick and easy.
A thick cover over the outdoor condenser will protect it from serious damage during the cold, winter months. It prolongs the lifespan. The unit’s compressor should never be on when the temperature is 60 degrees or below. Avoid placing a strain on your unit by using the fan instead.
Any HVAC contractor or installer should have an emergency hotline. They need to be able to come to a home when needed, even if when the weather gets to be extreme.
Heat-loss calculations are important when getting an estimate. This will tell you how many BTUs will be used. They need to count your windows, doors, check the insulation, and measure how much space your home has in it.
Some contractors overcharge you on material fees for additional materials. Having a good written contract can help you avoid issues like this.
To save money, try going with an HVAC unit that is an Energy Star unit. It will be much more efficient if you do. The Environmental Protection Agency is what sets these guidelines. EPA. Using units that meet these tough standards will save plenty of money on energy expenses over the years.
Cover your condenser unit for protection in the winter.This can help your condenser last longer when it is not in use. Use the fan setting only to avoid putting strain on the condenser unit.
Seek out HVAC contractors who only use products that carry the Energy Star label. Things bearing the Energy Star mark are certified as meeting federal efficiency guidelines. You will save on your electric bills if you purchase a unit with it.
These are qualified energy efficient and meet the strict efficiency guidelines. The standards are established by the EPA. They are in charge of protecting the EPA for short.Taking the time to look into these units may help you save a significant amount of money.
Clean your HVAC’s heating ducts on a regular basis. Make sure the ducts for heating get inspected every once in a while so you know there aren’t dents, punctures, or disconnected parts. Damaged ducts can raise your heating bill and waste warm air.
You might be surprised to discover that as many as two-thirds of all homes have ducts that leak. These can cost you as much as twenty five percent of your utility costs. It is easy and cheap to fix the ducts yourself, and you will see a noticeable change in the amount you pay for electricity.
Keep your condenser unit protected in cold weather. Try placing a thick cover on top of it. Your unit will not work as efficiently if you do this when the outdoor temperature is less than 60 degrees.
Look for HVAC contractors that use Energy Star equipment and equipment. This ensures efficiency that your system has met the EPA. This will help you save cash on the bills when it comes to your cooling and heating costs.
The owner’s manual should be kept in a safe and easy to locate place. It can educate you regarding the system and how to handle issues with it. The manufacturer should have them available on their website if you can not locate yours.
Use these tips to keep your HVAC system in tip-top condition. Getting to your home and noticing that there isn’t air going out of your vents doesn’t feel good. The repair costs will be very high too. With the information in this article, it will be a smoother process. Use them to maintain your unit.
