It might seem like there’s lots to learn about HVAC. If you are willing to read the following article, it should assist you in understanding the product better. This advice on your HVAC system.
What do you need done? Know this before calling a contractor. This is necessary so that they can give you a quote before doing any work. It can be harder if you don’t know what’s wrong. So, have this information ready.
Know what type of system before looking for a repair person. This will enable you give your chosen contractor any information they might need.
Clean your fan blades and coils come spring. Clean the outside of your condenser unit.
Clean the condenser coils and fan at the beginning of the year to help the unit run efficiently. Before you clean the unit, be sure to turn off the power. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit.
Don’t get grass clippings pile up against your outside unit. Aim your grass in a different direction from the unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.
Put outdoor unit in the shade.
Clean the condenser on your debris regularly. Debris can pile up after a storm, bringing potential damage with it. It will damage the system by overheating.
Install a thermostat you can program to save energy costs. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or computer.
Don’t let your home to overheat. Air conditioners are limited in that they can only really cool your home down 20 degrees or so within a reasonable time period. If your home happens to get near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it will only cool off to about 80F. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Your outdoor HVAC units might suffer when your trees lose leaves. Make sure the unit’s fan grill is cleaned frequently when the leaves begin to fall. The fan must stay clear in order to function, and if it gets blocked, you will have to contend with problems.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check with the BBB and look for reviews as well. These steps can help ensure you make a better decision.
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 this information.
It is very important that your HVAC system is serviced two times a year. Your system should be inspected in Spring and Fall. Even if everything seems fine, check things out to find potential problems.
Companies that are around awhile have track records that haven’t been. Hiring a contractor comes with an element of risk.
Ask friends and relations for their HVAC contractor recommendations. People will tell you who have had a good experience are often happy to share the name of their contractor. This can also be used to see who you learn the names of those companies that you should avoid.
Turn off any outdoor condensers you have when the weather gets cold. When the temperature drops beneath 60 degrees, it’s time to cut off the unit to prevent damage. This will allow your system to work well every year, and that saves you quite a bit on making repairs.
Contractors charge different rates, so make sure to get multiple quotes. You have the potential to save tons of money by asking for many quotes. You may want to get quotes from at least a handful of contractors to determine what reasonable rates are.
Think about having a radiant barrier installed in your attic so your HVAC system can run better. It will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your home and the outside. You could even find that you can use your attic space if it is done right.
If you can, use double-paned windows instead of single-paned ones. Good double pane windows keep cool air in during the summer and minimize your utility expenses. They help in the winter, too, keeping the heat in.
If your HVAC system is clicking, look immediately to see if there is an obstruction. Often the issue is some sort of debris hitting fans in the cooling system. Check this out before you call in the professionals.
Make certain they are tightly sealed so air inside. You can hire a professional to test them.
Regularly having your HVAC system serviced can help keep your heating and cooling bills down. When they come out for a service visit, expect inspections of freon levels and the motor, and they will oil all the moving parts. Your unit will last longer this way.
Measure the area you wish to cool before going air conditioner shopping. You can figure out the unit you need by calculating 20 BTU per square foot of room space. If the unit will be cooling several rooms, get their square footage added together.
Pick an HVAC companies that know what they’re doing and works quickly to solve the problem. The most reliable companies make sure their technicians stay on schedule. A knowledgeable technician should also have no problem diagnosing any potential faults with your HVAC. Once they know what’s wrong, they should be able to fix it as fast as they can.
Make sure that your AC is turned off when you are not using it. Sure, the temp will rise, but no one is home anyway. If the A/C is on when you’re gone, it’ll be working hard constantly.
As you now see, learning about HVAC is not that difficult. It’s easy to get things to work out well for you if you’re able to use the great tips that this article gave you. You will save on your electric bill by doing so.