It is very frustrating to return home to find that your air conditioner or heating unit isn’t working right. The tips that follow will assist you do just that.
If your HVAC is giving you problems, tour your home before calling a technician. Figure out which rooms are too cool or warm. You can then relay this information to the technician so that they can more easily figure out what the problem is.
Know what work you need before you hire a contractor.It will be difficult for an HVAC contractor to give you a price estimate on the phone if they have not seen your current system. It will be way more difficult for him to assist you over the phone without the information readily available.
Clean your condenser’s fan blades and coils each spring to ensure that your condenser fan operates at it’s best. Clean the outside of your condenser as well.
By the end of spring, the fan blades and coils of your condenser should be thoroughly cleaned, so operation can proceed with greater efficiency. Before you do clean the coils and fan blades, always take the precaution of turning off all power to the unit. If you see debris, get rid of it.
Clean the condenser on your debris on your condenser units. You don’t know when things are going to pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It could overheat and cause your unit.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outdoor condenser.Aim your grass in a different direction away from your unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.
Make sure your condenser fan is in good working order by wiping down the fan blades and the coils. First, turn off the power so that nothing will move as you are working on it. Pull out each of the blades and clean them one by one.
Your HVAC units might suffer when trees begin dropping their leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned frequently when the leaves begin to fall. The fan must not have anything in the way so that air can flow into it, and if it is clogged, then your system could suffer.
Put outdoor units in places with shade.
If trees are losing leaves around your home, this can impact your HVAC unit. During this time of year, check and clear off the fan grill on your unit on a regular basis. The air needs to be unobstructed into the fan, and any blockages create performance issues for the whole system.
Turn off your outdoor condensers you have when the weather gets cold. This means that you should be done when the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This simple tip will maximize the life of your unit.
Install a programmable thermostat to save money on cooling your home.Some can even be controlled from a PC or other device.
Update the windows in your home to double-paned if you own it. Windows that are double pane keep the cool air in and can greatly reduce the amount of time your air conditioner will need to run. This will also help you keep in heat when it gets cold.
During a maintenance visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. These simple tasks will help keep your HVAC system to run its best.
Research and check the reputation of companies that you consider using. Check with the BBB and online reviews of potential companies online. This will help you have to do in order to make a smart decision.
Keep energy costs from rising by having your system serviced annually. This visit will include a motor inspection and checking the freon. This will help your system run better.
There are a few sites these days that allow customers to share their experiences with contractors. This is useful for finding contractors that you wish to work with and those that you want to avoid.
Think about having a radiant barrier installed 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 home and the outside. You could even use the attic as part of your living space more effectively.
Check for duct leaks if your unit seems to not be working efficiently. Your utility company can test this for you, oftentimes at no charge. If not, it should be less expensive than a HVAC contractor. If a leak is found, the money spent on finding and repairing the leak will pay for itself.
Use these tips to keep your HVAC system in tip-top condition. It’s not great to arrive home and realize you do not have any air. Thinking about the repair costs makes things even worse. But using the tips given here will help lessen the chances of those things taking place. Keep these tips handy at all times so that you can tackle any HVAC issue.