HVAC: What You Should Know Before You Begin

Keeping your HVAC system running well is important, but not everybody knows how to accomplish that.Learning this is an important thing for a savvy homeowner can do. This article will provide you with that.

If your HVAC is giving you problems, tour your home before calling a technician. Determine which rooms feel cold and which feel hot. That knowledge can help the technician figure out what is going on.

Know the name and type of system before calling someone to fix it. This will let you to give your chosen contractor any information they might need.

If your HVAC is giving you problems, try touring your home before calling a professional.

In order to keep your outside condenser fan running efficiently, make sure the coils and the fan blades are cleaned before the cooling season begins. If you are doing more than a light surface cleaning, make sure that the power is shut off to the HVAC unit. In addition, always remove all debris such as leaves from the outside condenser unit.

Clean your fan blades and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean the outside of your external condenser unit regularly.

Turn it off so nothing moves. Next, pop off the grill, put the blades out and start to gently clean them along with the unit.

Some fan condensers may contain oil parts, and if yours does, ensure it is lubricated at least once per year. A rubber or metal cap is typically placed over such ports. Choose a SAE 20 oil whch is lightweight and non-detergent and place 10 drops or less into each port, ensuring it doesn’t overfill.

TIP! Put outdoor condensers in the shade. It will help you save on your energy bill when you do this.

Your HVAC unit may suffer when trees lose leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned frequently when the leaves begin to fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if it is clogged, you will have to contend with problems.

Sae 20 Oil

Consumers are usually advised to have their HVAC systems inspected twice a year. The fall and spring are the optimal times for this maintenance. This type if preventative maintenance is highly necessary to ward off any expensive troubles from coming your way.

TIP! When the weather starts to cool down, make sure you turn off outdoor condenser units. To avoid damage, units should be turned off when temperatures are below 60 degrees.

Lubricate your fan condenser once each year. These are often covered by a rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.

Turn off your outdoor condenser when the weather gets cold. This means that you should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This simple tip will maximize the system running efficiently for many years to come.

It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double pane ones. To keep your home cool, investing in double pane windows is a must. Conversely, this also works to keep warm air in during colder months.

It is always a good idea to replace single-paned windows for double panes. This same effect also helps keep it warm in during the winter.

During the visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. These simple tasks will help keep your system to run at its peak performance.

Make sure to have your unit serviced once a year. When they come out for a service visit, expect inspections of freon levels and the motor, and they will oil all the moving parts. All of these little jobs will add up to big savings in energy use, with the improved efficiency.

TIP! Before you invest in any HVAC contractor, make sure you spend a good deal of time researching their reputations and credentials. A good start would be the BBB to see if there are any complaints, then search online for review sites where you can see what actual customers had to say about their experience.

Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit you need for your home. Look at the manual or on the manufacturer website for this information.

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 means taking a considerable risk.

Are you looking into getting a new heating/cooling system? You may want to consider the following. Those systems get rated by the area amount they are able to cool and heat effectively. Therefore, you may want to opt for a larger unit.

TIP! Replace the air filter monthly to keep your HVAC system working well. This represents an easy way to keep your system working well.

Are you looking into getting a new heating and cooling system? You need to know some things into account. Systems have ratings according to how large an area they can effectively heat or cool. You are better off purchasing a bigger unit that is slightly too large for your needs than purchasing one that is a bit too small.

Check for duct leaks if your unit seems to not up to snuff. If you do end up paying, the money spent on finding and repairing the leak will pay for itself.

As you are thinking about where to put your AC unit, consider how the air moves out of it. Make sure you have plenty of air flow control options if you are forced to install the unit in a corner.

TIP! Always get some references prior to hiring any contractor. Be sure previous customers got the service and value they expected.

Figure out the direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The less your home is heated, the less time that the AC has to work.

Replace the air filter monthly to keep your HVAC system every month. This is the simplest thing that your unit remains in good operating condition.

Avoid using any contractor for HVAC repairs or installation, unless they provide you with a 24-hour number for emergency situations. Whether a hurricane just blew through or it’s the hottest day of the year, they need to be able to come and fix your system.

Ask any potential contractor about their experience prior to hiring them. You need to know that they have the type of experience needed to work you require.

Always get references from a contractor.

Use a fully-enclosing cover to protect your condenser unit in the winter. This can help it last longer when it is not in use. Don’t turn it on if the temperature is below 60 either. Turn on the fan and avoid straining the unit.

TIP! Always follow up on any references provided to you by a prospective HVAC contractor. Too many people just assume these contactors are legitimate becuase they offered these references freely, but if you don’t actually check them out, there could be serious consequences.

There aren’t many things that can help you more with your home than an HVAC system that works in the right way. But, without the right knowledge, breakdowns of this type of equipment can lead to major frustration. Luckily you were given this great information so you know what you need to put into all of this.