The way your home has a lot to do with whether or not it is being heated and cooled is important. This is why your HVAC system is constantly checked and you ensure it is properly working. If you have a poor HVAC, you can expect costly repairs and miserable living conditions. Here are some great tips to get you keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Know the name and type of your HVAC system before looking for a repair person. It is important to understand what model it is and which brand it is. Also, if it has been serviced before, you should have that information handy. This makes sure your contractor will be sufficiently prepared.
If you are having issues with your HVAC, check out each room in your house before calling for assistance. This information will help the repairman determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
If you have some problems with the HVAC system, check out your home before calling a contractor. Know what part of the house is cold and which is hot. Figuring this out will the contractor to diagnose the issues and quickly get to work on fixing it.
Clean your condenser’s fan and coils come spring. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit regularly.
If you have condenser units outside your home, be sure to clean out the debris from them often. You can never tell when things will pile up, especially following rain or wind storms. These can wreak havoc on your units. It can overheat, leading to disaster within your system.
Clean any debris off your outdoor condenser unit. Debris can pile up after a storm, and this can foul up the inner workings of your system.It can cause it to overheat.
When the leaves start to fall, the HVAC equipment can be harmed. The grill on the fan can become cluttered with debris, which will cause a serious operating deficiency. You can head off future problems that can be caused by blockages by making sure there is a free flow of air to your fan.
Turn the power off first so you don’t get hurt or break something. Next, pop the grill off, pull out the blades and start cleaning them and the unit itself off gently.
Lubricate your fan condenser if it has oil ports. These ports have a metal covering. Sometimes it is rubber. Pick a type of SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight. Place 10 or less drops into every port to avoid overfilling.
Grass Clippings
If you want things to be more efficient, get new units outside or have your current one moved into the shade. As it brings in cool air to cool, you will save a lot of money.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outside unit. Aim the grass clippings in the unit. This also applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in the yard.
A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help save money on air conditioning costs. These can save you around 10 percent on your heating and cooling costs by just turning it back 10 percent to 15 percent for around eight hours each day. Additionally, some programmable thermostats can be controlled remotely using a web-connected device.
Put your outdoor units in the shade if you are installing them.
Make sure to have your unit serviced once a year. During a maintenance visit, professionals can help by inspecting the system’s motor, oil the different moving parts as well as check the system’s freon levels. This ensures your system runs smoothly.
Make sure you have your HVAC system checked twice a year. This should happen in the fall and again in the spring.
Keep your air conditioner off when people aren’t home to save you money. By raising the temperature from, for example 78 to 80, your house will be warmer, but only up to 80 before your AC kicks in. If you decide to set the temperature to 82 or 83 or so on, your AC won’t go on until it reaches that temperature. Obviously, if you leave your air conditioning set at a low temperature all day long even if you’re not home, you’ll be paying to maintain that low temperature.
Turn off outdoor condensers you have when the weather turns cold. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This helps the system last much longer and save you a lot on repairs.
In order to select an HVAC contractor that you can trust, it pays to invest some time researching a few prospective companies and checking their reputations. Checking with the BBB is a good idea, and so is checking online reviews to see the experiences that other customers have had with a company. In this way, you can be more sure of getting a good HVAC company.
It is always a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double pane ones. This will also help you keep in the winter.
It is possible for air conditioners to ice over. The drain line also occasionally freezes, which can be misdiagnosed as a plumbing leak. If you see this happen, disable the compressor by turning your thermostat to the fan only setting. 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.
There are a number of great sites out there that give people the opportunity to leave comments about the service they were treated by services. This will help you should work with and people that may not work well with you.
Turn to online reviews if you’re not sure how you should hire to perform HVAC maintenance. There are a lot of sites these days that let customers talk about their experiences with contractors. This will help you to sort out the good from the bad.
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 unit stays hot or cold as it should be. You may even find that you can use your attic space if it is done right.
Look for leaks in the ducts if your system isn’t working right. Your local energy company may do such testing at a reduced cost or maybe even for free. Once you fix the leaks, the savings will be more than worth the hassle.
Are you thinking about having a HVAC system installed? You need to think about several things. Systems have ratings according to how large an area they effectively heat or cool. You are wise to err on the side of a bigger unit rather than purchasing one that is a bit too small.
In terms of regular maintenance, you should be able to replace your HVAC air filter every month . This is the simplest thing that you can do to keep your unit running in tip top shape. Filters are inexpensive, so there is no excuse for not doing it.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if you you feel your unit seems to not be working efficiently. When you repair the leaks, you may see that the testing pays for itself.
As you ponder where to install your new AC unit, think about how the air flows around the room. If you have to put the unit in a corner, use one that doesn’t blow into the wall.
Figure out the direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The less heat, the less time your air conditioner will have to work.
Ask any potential contractor about their experience. He or she may not have experience working with your type of system or performing the work that you need done. Although it is certainly possible for an inexperienced contractor to do the job right, it is best not to flirt with danger.
Make sure they are tightly sealed so air inside. You can get these tested at little to no charge by a professional to test them all for you and often this testing is free.
Any HVAC contractor references given to you need checking out. Many people make the mistake of assuming references are legitimate just because they were give up freely, but this is not always the case. It will just take minutes to check out a contractor, so you shouldn’t hesitate.
Measure the area you wish to cool before going air conditioning. You can usually substitute 20 BTU per square foot in the room. If you need to cool multiple rooms, combine all the square footage.
When you have a contractor come to give you an estimate, make sure they perform a heat-loss calculation. This will determine how much BTU your new system will need to keep your home comfortable. Windows and doors need to be inspected for drafts, insulation checked for efficiency and the interior dimensions of the house should also be considered.
Pick out an HVAC business that understands the unit and knows what to do. The best companies will ensure that their technicians working honestly and on schedule. A knowledgeable technician will also have no problem diagnosing any problems with your HVAC. After they figure out what is causing the problem, they resolve issues swiftly.
If you are having an existing HVAC system repaired or getting something new installed, ask them to install a programmable thermostat. This can save you a lot on your energy bills and gives you a nice comfortable home.
Always make sure to get some references before hiring any contractor.
A money-saving measure that you can try is purchasing an HVAC unit with an Energy Star rating. Units such as these meet the standards that adhere to policies for energy efficiency. The Environmental Protection Agency is what sets these guidelines. This is vital if you want to cut your costs. Spending your time looking over these types of things can help you to save quite a bit later on.
Any HVAC contractor or installer should have an emergency hotline. They need to be able to come to you when they are needed, whether during a heatwave or a terrible snowstorm.
It’s amazing to find out that 66% of homes have leaky ducts! These can add 25 percent to your heating and cooling costs. It is simple and inexpensive to seal your ducts. It is even something you can do yourself. Taking this step can make a big difference in your electric bills.
Cover your condenser when 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 unit.
Choose a contractor who installs Energy Star units. Products with the Energy Star symbol meet energy guidelines set by the EPA. This helps save you money on your energy bills during the year.
Always check any references provided to you receive for an HVAC contractor.
Keep your HVAC system operating efficiently and enjoy clean air by cleaning the heating ducts from time to time. Examine the ducts on a regular basis to ensure they are in good working order. Ducts that are damaged can increase your heating bill by wasting the warm air.
Now you will be able to take good care of your HVAC system. Be sure to stay on top of your maintenance work. Use the tips in this article to keep it operating efficiently, and you can avoid coming home to a home that is too cold or too hot.
Make sure your condenser unit is protected once the weather begins to get colder. This may be accomplished by placing a cover on the condenser unit. Avoid using the system when external temperatures fall below 60, because efficiency will be drastically reduced.
