The heating and cooling systems of your home is very important. That is why it is important to keep your HVAC has to be in tip top shape. If you’re not able to take care of it, you will be costing yourself a lot of money. Here are some tips to help you keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Inspect the temps in your home before you call a service to help you with any HVAC issues you’re having. Determine which rooms feel cold and which feel hot. That knowledge can help the technician figure out what is going on.
Clean your fan and coils come spring. Clean the outside of your condenser as well.
Clean your fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Always shut off all power to your unit for any work beyond superficial cleaning. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit.
Clean any debris on your condenser unit. Debris can pile up after a storm, and this can foul up the inner workings of your system.It could overheat and cause your system to malfunction by overheating.
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. The whole thing can overheat, causing major problems and possibly an enormous expense for you.
Turn it off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Then, take the grill off, pull the blades out, and begin cleaning the unit and them gently.
Each spring, clean the fan blades and coils on your condenser. Start by turning off the power to avoid having anything move when you work on it. Pull out each of the blades and clean them one by one.
Your outdoor HVAC system could suffer when trees begin dropping their leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned frequently when the fall. The fan must not have anything in the way so that air can flow into it, and if it gets blocked, you will have to contend with problems.
In order to boost efficiency, place new outdoor units or move your current unit to a place which resides in the shade. The unit will have to do less work cooling this air.
Put your outdoor condensers in places with shade.
Be sure you have the HVAC unit in your home checked about two times every year. The normally recommended time for HVAC system inspections is once before the peak cooling season when it gets hot and you’ll be using your AC, and once before the peak heating season, during the cold months when you’re likely to be using your heat. Even if you don’t notice anything wrong, you can check it out to figure out what the potential issues are.
Have your HVAC serviced twice per year. This should be done in the fall and the spring.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double panes. You can reduce your energy costs from energy leaking out through your windows by installing window that are double-paned. As with other steps you take to improve your ability to keep your air conditioned air or heated air inside your home, double-paned windows can help you save on energy costs.
Turn off your outdoor condensers you have when it becomes cold out. This means that you should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This will help keep it in good condition for years and save you a lot on repairs.
Regular maintenance of your unit should be performed annually. The contractor should oil the parts that move and check the motor and freon levels. These things will boost the performance of your system.
During a maintenance visit, the contractor will oil parts, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These simple things will keep your system running smoothly.
Make sure that your AC is turned off when you are not using it. This will save you money on your energy bills. If you leave it on all day, it’s fighting the heat constantly, meaning it’s using a lot of electricity to do its job.
Never allow your home to get dangerously hot temperature. Air conditioners cannot sufficiently cool down a home by 20 degrees. If the temperature in your home rises to 100 degrees F or higher, you will only be able to cool it down to 80. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
Do not allow your house to get extremely hot. Air conditioners really can only cool a home down about 20 degrees Fahrenheit within a reasonable amount of time. Assuming the temperature in your home rises to a hundred degrees, you will only be able to reduce that by twenty degrees. Depending on the levels of humidity, that is not a safe temperature when it comes to sleeping or escaping from the heat of summer.
Ask your friends and trust for contractor recommendations. People who have used and if they are worth calling. This is also help you to figure out some names of businesses that should be avoided.
If you need a HVAC contractor, try and get recommendations from family and friends. People that have had quality work done are usually more than willing to share this information. This will also provide you with good information on which contractors you should avoid hiring.
There are now different online sites that let customers can place their experiences with contractors. This is an awesome way to locate contractors to work with.
Make certain that you get written estimates before you hire a contractor. You should save some money this way. Call at least four or five different HVAC specialist to find the best rates.
Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You have the potential to save a great deal of money this way. You may want to call at least a handful of contractors in order to know what reasonable rates are.
Your HVAC system can run more efficiently if your attic has a radiant barrier. This mechanism will prevent outside heat from coming in, reducing your energy consumption when cooling. You may even find that you can use the attic space more effectively.
Do you want to buy a new HVAC unit? There are several things you must consider first. Systems get rated according to how large an area they can effectively heat or cool. You are better off purchasing a unit that is slightly too large for your needs than a bit too small.
Make an HVAC system run more efficiently by determining what direction your house faces. If your home is surrounded by strategically planted trees, they can often block out the morning sunlight. The cooler your home already is, the less work your AC will have to do.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if you you feel your unit seems to 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.
Make sure your windows and doors are efficient. Your windows and doors should be able to stay tightly sealed so air doesn’t get in or out. Have them inspected by a professional. This is often a free service.
Figure out which direction your home is facing so your HVAC system more efficient. The less heat inside the house, the less work your AC will have to do.
It is important that you know the measurements of the area you need to cool. You can easily calculate this by using the formula: 20 BTUs per square footage of space. Add the square footage for multiple rooms together.
If you hear a clicking noise coming from your HVAC unit, check immediately for any debris that may have accumulated in it. Often it is being caused by debris hitting the fans in your cooling system. Look carefully at it before calling in a technician.
Think about the air flow coming out of the air conditioner and where you want to place it for maximum comfort. If you have no choice but to put it in the corner, be sure to buy a unit which allows for the air flow direction to be changed away from the wall.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioner shopping. You generally need 20 BTU per square foot of room space. If you have a lot of rooms to keep cool, sum their areas.
Ask for references from any contractor you’re considering. Find out if the contractor stayed within budget and performed the task in the allotted time they said. References ensure you don’t end up with a scammer.
Replace the air filter monthly to keep your HVAC system every month. This represents an easy thing to do and it will keep your system running well.
You should make sure the contractor you hire to repair or install your HVAC system has a hotline for emergencies that is available all day. 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.
Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to know that they have the sort of experience needed to work you require.
Be certain you know what the HVAC work costs include. There are contractors out there that will make you pay for extra things like charges for fuel or materials. When you have a solid contract, these problems can be avoided.
Always get some references from a contractor.
A thick cover over the outdoor condenser will protect it from serious damage during the cold, winter months. This will help your condenser last longer when not being used. Also, never use your compressor when the outside temperature is less than 60 degrees. Use the fan.
This will tell you how much BTU your new system will need to keep your home comfortable.
Make sure that any contractor that provides you with a quote also performs a heat-loss calculation. They can figure out how may BTU will be required to keep your house comfortable. They need to consider all doors and windows, insulation and room sizes.
You may be surprised to discover that as much as 66% of households have ducts that leak. These leaky ducts can lead to as much as a quarter of your home’s utility costs. Sealing your ducts is both easy and cheap, and it is something you can do yourself, and it can reduce your electricity bills significantly every year thereafter.
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 thermostat is great because it lets you regulate the temperature in your home all throughout the day and night, which in the end results in lower energy bills.
Now you know what is involved when it comes to maintaining your HVAC system. You must stay on top of things! Use what you’ve learned to keep your system up and running.
Make sure you know where the owner’s manual is anytime the system is running. It will provide you with specific and vital information regarding the functioning of your system. You can get a replacement manual from the manufacturer if you need one.
