Letting your HVAC system break is not something you want to deal with. You are likely here because you wish to learn all you can to make your HVAC last a long time. The following article has some helpful tips for you!
If your HVAC system us giving you issues, take a look around the house prior to calling a contractor. Jot down the rooms that are hot and the ones that are cold. Taking this step aids a contractor in figuring out what the problem is and how to repair it as quickly as possible.
If your HVAC doesn’t seem to be working properly, do a tour of your house before you call in help. This will help the repairman determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
Keeping the outside condenser clean of debris and leaves will improve the system’s efficiency. Except when cleaning the outside, turn the unit off when performing any type of maintenance. Clean the outside of your condenser unit regularly.
Know what work you need before you hire a contractor. It will be hard for an HVAC contractor to provide you with an estimate over the phone if they have not seen your current system. It will be way more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Make certain that you clean your condenser when the weather begins to warm. Before you do anything, however, turn the power off. Next, pop off the grill, pull out the blades and start cleaning them and the unit itself off gently.
Clean your fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Clean the outdoor condenser unit regularly.
Don’t let grass clippings pile up against your outdoor condenser. Shoot the grass away from the unit. Make sure you move around the unit and blow the leaves away from it while blowing your leaves.
Be sure to clean debris from external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It will damage the system to malfunction by overheating.
As the trees around your home lose leaves, it can cause your HVAC unit trouble. Clean the fan grill often when leaves are falling. If your fan is obstructed, it can keep your system from working properly.
Don’t get grass clippings pile up against your outside unit. Aim the grass cuttings in the other direction. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.
You want to put the outdoor compressor device in a shaded area. In this way, it will be cooling air that is already somewhat cooled. This saves energy.
Lubricate your condenser at least once a year. These ports are often covered with rubber or metal cap. Use a lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
Have the HVAC system serviced twice 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. Even if you don’t notice anything wrong, you can check it out to figure out what the potential issues are.
Put outdoor units in the shade.
Have a smart thermostat installed. A programmable thermostat can save you up to ten percent on your cooling and heating costs by simply turning the thermostat back ten to fifteen percent for eight hours a day. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or other device.
Be sure you have twice annual HVAC system checks. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
Sometimes, air conditioning units ice up. The drain line can freeze, making you think it’s a plumbing leak. If this happens, turn the thermostat so it is on fan only mode, which will disable the compressor. It is best to call a professional in to fix this particular issue, even though the switch to fan setting should cause the ice to start melting.
During the service check, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. These things will keep your system to run at its peak performance.
When you’re purchasing an HVAC system, make sure that you get a unit that is properly sized for your space. If you make the mistake of purchasing a unit that is too large, it will not cool efficiently. Check the manufacturer’s handbook to see what amount of space the unit can effectively cool.
Do not allow your house get dangerously hot. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a short time span. If the temperature in your home rises to 100 degrees F or higher, you’ll only cool down to still above 80. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Ask those you know for the name of a great HVAC technician, should you need one. Those who have had a great experience should have no issue giving you this info. This will also provide you with good information on which contractors you should avoid hiring.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit you need for your home. Look in the manual to determine the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
The Internet can really help you out when it comes to finding someone to work on your HVAC unit. Many Internet sites let customers discuss experiences with certain companies. This will be an excellent way to locate people you should work with and people that may not work well with you.
Companies that are well established have track records that haven’t been. Hiring a newer contractor who is just starting out can be risky.
All contractors charge differently for their services, so get at least four or five quotes before hiring a particular person. Save yourself some money by calling around before you make your final decision. You want to call at least a handful of contractors to determine what reasonable rates are.
Ask friends and trust for contractor recommendations. People that have used and if they are usually more than willing to share this information. This will also provide you with good information on which contractors you should avoid at all costs.
Are you thinking of getting a cooling and heating system that’s new? You may want to consider the following. HVAC systems have a rating to determine how much space you should use it on. You are wise to err on the side of a bigger unit rather than a smaller one.
There are many sites that let customers share their experiences with different services. This is useful for finding people that do good work with and those that are poor.
You can usually have free duct testing performed if you are concerned about your HVAC system not running properly. Your local energy company may do such testing at a reduced cost or maybe even for free. Having these repaired is worth the cost of testing if you had to hire a contractor to do the job.
Think about having a radiant barrier in your attic so support the efficient functioning of 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 unit stays hot outside.You could even find that you can use your attic as part of your living space if it is done right.
Determine the direction your home is facing to help get your HVAC system functioning efficiently. Consider where to place trees to reduce the morning sunlight on your home. The less amount of heat inside of your home, the fewer occasions you have to use your air conditioner.
If you hear a clicking noise coming from your HVAC unit, look for blockages right away. Often the issue is some sort of debris that’s hitting the fans in your cooling system. Check this out yourself first before you call in the professionals.
The one thing you should always do on a monthly basis is change the air filter on your HVAC system. It will improve the efficiency of your unit. It is a small cost to do this.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioning. You will need 20 BTU for each square footage of room space. If you have multiple rooms to cool, sum their areas.
Make sure that you are clear about what is included in the cost of the HVAC work you are contracting someone to do. There are dishonest contractors out there that will overcharge you. Solidly written contracts let you prevent such issues.
Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to verify they have done the type of experience needed to work you require.
To keep your HVAC unit from having trouble, make sure to give proper protection to the condenser with the help of a cover. This can help it last longer when it is not in use. Never operate your unit when the temperatures are lower than 60 degrees. Use the fan setting only to avoid straining the unit.
Any HVAC contractor you hire should have an emergency number available to customers around the clock.They owe it to you to show up to fix anything, even if when the weather gets to be extreme.
Heat-loss calculations are important when getting an estimate. This needs to be factored in when figuring out the best sized unit for your home. They should check the insulation, doors and windows and the space in your house.
This information is used to determine the number of BTUs your system has to be.
When in the process of installing new HVAC equipment or getting repairs done, see if you can have a programmable thermostat installed. 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.
Maintaining your system is critical. It can be quite costly to fix a failed HVAC system. You can easily prevent serious damage by performing simple maintenance techniques found above.
It’s a fact that 66% or so of homes have ducts that are leaky. 25% of your utility bill could be a result of such leaks. Sealing the ducts is something you can do easily and cheaply, and it can significantly decrease your electrical bill yearly thereafter.
