When you are looking to learn a bit about HVAC systems, it is best to start small. This article will help you get more acquainted with the process of keeping your HVAC systems. Take the time to read carefully and you will so fine.
If you’ve been having trouble with an HVAC system, look around your home before calling in people to help. Find out which rooms are hot and which are cold. Figuring this out will the contractor to diagnose the issues and quickly get to work on fixing it.
Know the name and type of your HVAC system you currently have before looking for a repair person. This will enable you to give your chosen contractor the necessary information.
Don’t get grass clippings on your outside unit. Aim the grass clippings in the other direction. This also applies when you blow leaves, so be very careful near your exterior HVAC units when you move debris.
Know what you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be difficult for an HVAC contractor to give you a price estimate over the phone if they have not seen your current setup is. It will be more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Try to prevent debris from getting in your HVAC unit. Clean the fan grill often when leaves are falling. When blockages restrict the flow of air to the fan, you could end up with serious issues on your hands.
Clean your fan and coils come spring. Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.
If the fan on your condenser includes oil ports, they must be lubricated annually. You can easily find the ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. Pick out a SAE 20 type of oil because it has no detergent, is lightweight, and you should put around 10 drops in the ports but make it to where they don’t get too full.
Be sure to regularly clean external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can ruin your system. It could overheat and cause your unit.
When you are choosing a location for the outdoor compressor unit, it’s preferable to use a shaded area. In this way, it will be cooling air that is already somewhat cooled. This saves energy.
Turn the power off first 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.
Be sure you have the HVAC unit in your home checked about two times every year. The best time of year to have the system checked is right before the weather begins to change. Even if everything seems okay, it doesn’t hurt to check things out.
Your HVAC unit may suffer when trees lose leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often during the leaves begin to fall. The fan must not have anything in the way so that air can flow into it, and if it becomes blocked, you’ll have a lot of headaches eventually.
When the weather cools down, turn your outdoor condenser off. If the outside temp is under 60 degrees, turn the unit off to prevent damage. This will ensure your system works well each year, which could save you quite a bit in repair costs.
Lubricate your condenser once a year. You can easily find the ports covered with rubber or metal caps. Use a lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
To help keep your energy costs down, have your heating and cooling system serviced at least once a year. When it’s checked out, the motor will be inspected, moving parts well oiled and the level of freon adjusted if necessary. Those things are going to help your system at peak performance.
Put your outdoor condensers in places with shade.
When you are away from home, adjust your thermostat to a money saving temperature. You may want to turn your unit off if your house will not become extremely hot or cold. If it is on all day, it is trying to maintain a cool temperature constantly, using a great deal of electricity to fight the heat.
Have the HVAC system inspected twice a year. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
Don’t allow your home to overheat. Air conditioners can cool a home by just twenty degrees in a short time. So, if your home temp reaches 100 degrees, your air conditioning will only bring that temp down to about 80 degrees. You may suffer adverse effects from letting the house get that hot, too.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows for double pane ones. This same effect also helps keep it warm air in the winter.
Sometimes air conditioners will ice up. Drain lines can also suffer an occasional freeze, and these are sometimes mistaken for plumbing leak issues. Turn your unit to the fan setting to turn off the compressor. You should still call a professional to help regardless.
During a maintenance visit, the contractor will oil parts, oil the different moving parts as well as check the system’s freon levels. These easy to do things are going to allow your system to run at its peak performance.
How long has the contractor been in business? Firms that have been in business for a long time are easier to assess. Hiring a new company will be riskier.
Never allow your home reach a dangerously hot inside. An air conditioning unit is really only able to reduce the temperature by twenty degrees in a fair time. If your home become 100F or more, 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.
Contractors charge different rates, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. If you call around before making a final decision, it can save you a lot of money in the end. Contact a minimum of five contractors so you can determine realistically what the price will be.
Companies that are around awhile have a better record than those that can help you decide if they’re worth your money and time. Hiring a new contractor may be taking a bigger risk.
When thinking of what kind of air conditioner you should get, you should measure the area that you need to cool. The calculation to determine the size of the unit is typically 20 BTU for every square foot of area. Calculate the total square footage of all rooms if you will use the air conditioner to cool more than one room.
A radiant barrier improves the efficiency of your HVAC unit.It will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your home and the outside. You may even use the attic space more effectively.
In terms of regular maintenance, you should be able to replace your HVAC air filter every month . This is an easy way to help you keep things running well for you overall. The filters are only a couple dollars, so it is a small monthly investment.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your unit seems to not be working efficiently. When these leaks are fixed, the tests will pay for themselves.
Be sure the HVAC contractor you pick is fast and knowledgeable. The best companies keep the technicians working honestly and on time. Contractors ought to be able to find the problem quickly. Once the problem is identified, fixing it should be quick and easy.
Figure out which direction your home is facing so your HVAC system can work better. The cooler your home already is, the less you’ll have to use your air conditioner to cool things off.
Before you hire an HVAC contractor to perform work on your system, learn about their experience level. He or she may not have experience working with your type of system or performing the work that you need done. Though some workers with less experience are great, you do not want to risk it.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioner shopping. You generally need about 20 BTU per square foot of the room. If you need to cool multiple rooms, get their square footage added together.
The best HVAC contractors will also provide a number for emergency services that is available to call 24 hours of the day. They need to be able to come to you when they are needed, even if when the weather gets to be extreme.
Replace the air filter monthly to keep your HVAC system every month. This is the simplest thing that you can do to keep your unit run properly.
Always be very clear about what will be included in your estimate of cost on any HVAC work you have someone do. There are some contractors that try to charge you more later for such things like material fees and fuel charges. A contract will really help you if something like this materializes.
If you have no choice but to put it in the corner, be sure you’re getting a unit that has air flow coming from a direction that’s not facing the wall.
Make certain that any potential contractor calculates potential heat loss. This factors in the amount of BTU your heating system will consume when regulating the temperature in your house. From knowing how many doors and windows there are to how much insulation there is, it’s a must.
Always make sure to get some references before hiring any contractor.
Consider having a programmable thermostat installed whenever you have an HVAC system installed, serviced or repaired. This can help you save a ton on your utility bills as you let your system rest overnight while you are sleeping comfortably in your beds.
Any HVAC contractor you hire should have a 24-hour emergency number available to customers around the clock. They need to be able to come to a home when needed, even if when the weather gets to be extreme.
Always look for the ENERGY STAR logo on a unit before you make the purchase. Qualified energy products such as these are efficient due to the fact that they must meet stringent guidelines. These are established by the U.S. The EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency. Spending time looking into these units could lead to long-term savings on your energy costs.
Cover your condenser when the winter. This simple cover keeps the condenser operating longer when you’re not using it. Use the fan instead to avoid straining the unit.
Believe it or not, approximately 66 percent of all homes have leaking ducts! They can raise your utility bill by as much as 25 percent. Seal the ducts as best as you can to prevent this from happening.
These are more efficient and meet the strict guidelines set for efficiency. These are enforced by the federal government. They are in charge of protecting the EPA for short.Taking time to fully research various units may help you save a significant amount of money.
When the weather begins to grow colder, you must protect the outside condensing unit from the cold. Try putting a cover on it that will help it to stay warm. Don’t install a condenser unit if it’s under sixty degrees outside. If you do, the system won’t be as effective.
Keep your HVAC system running efficiently by cleaning the heating ducts. Check your ducts weekly. Damaged ducts could increase your heating bill and waste warm air.
Be sure your HVAC repair company gives you a written estimate. You need to get these estimates written down for you. Comparing estimates is a must. This ensures that you know the job is being done right. Look at the various factors, including the financial and time estimates. Steer clear of extremely low estimates, since they work may not be up to par.
Always get written estimates for HVAC company. These estimates need to be written down on paper. There are quite a few jobs that require having an estimate to know what they take. This procedure helps ensure you get adequate service. Compare all of the estimates you receive.
This information should have helped you understand your HVAC better. You just have to learn the information and do things step-by-step so that you don’t run into any trouble. Hopefully, you can now ensure your HVAC unit is working up to your standards!
