Many people don’t even think about their HVAC systems until they all the sudden quit working. It can be hard to get a repairman to fix your HVAC system. The tips here will ensure you have no issues with this process.
Before making that repair phone call, make sure you know the specifics about your particular system. Know what the manufacturer’s name is, which particular model you have and what’s gone on with the unit in the past. That way you can provide the contractor with all the necessary information.
Know the name and type of system you currently have before calling someone to fix it. This will help you to give your chosen contractor any information they might need.
If you’ve been having trouble with an HVAC system, check out your home before calling a contractor. This information will help the repairman determine where the problem is and how to fix it.
Don’t let your outdoor HVAC units get smothered with clippings anytime you mow the yard. Direct the grass clippings in a direction away from the HVAC unit. When blowing leaves, do the same. Always take care when passing your HVAC units while moving leaves, grass or other debris.
Clean your fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit regularly.
Clean the condenser on your debris on your condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can ruin your system. It can cause it to overheat.
When it gets cold outside, it is necessary to turn off outdoor condenser units. If the temperature drops to under 60 degrees, you risk damage to the unit if you leave it on. This will keep your system in working order year after year, saving you a ton on repairs.
Turn it off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Then, pop off its grills, pull the blades out, and gently clean them as well as the unit itself.
Don’t get grass clippings pile up against your outdoor condenser. Aim your grass in a different direction away from the unit. This applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in debris.
Service your HVAC yearly. When it’s checked out, the motor will be inspected, moving parts well oiled and the level of freon adjusted if necessary. All of these little jobs will add up to big savings in energy use, with the improved efficiency.
Sae 20 Oil
Lubricate your condenser once each year. You will notice these ports have a rubber or metal caps covering the ports. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up. Many times people think there is a plumbing leak, but instead the drain line has water that is frozen. Try switching to fan-mode and disabling your compressor to test whether the water is a leak or melting ice. Get a professional to deal with this, even if you see the ice start melting because you turned the compressor off.
Turn off any outdoor condensers you have when it becomes cold out. This means that you should be done when the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This simple tip will help keep your system working for many years to come.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows with ones that have double panes. This will also keeps warm air in heat when it gets cold.
All contractors charge differently for their services, so get at least four or five quotes before hiring a particular person. You should be able to hire the best contractor for the job if you take the time to do this. To figure out what a good rate is, speak with about five or six contractors.
Research the reputation of companies before hiring them.Check them out at the best one for your situation. These steps are going to help make a wise one.
Look for calculators online to truly understand what size of unit you need for your room or home.Look in the manual to determine the recommended size for this information.
If you HVAC unit is making a clicking sound, check immediately for any debris that may have accumulated in it. Many times you will find debris hitting that knock up against the fans inside the cooling unit. All you have to do is get this debris out of there to fix the problem. Before you call a technician, look at it yourself.
Think about having a radiant barrier installed in your attic so support the efficient functioning of 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 may even use your attic as part of your living space if it is done right.
Figure out which direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The cooler your home already is, the less time your air conditioner will have to work.
Make certain that you hire an experienced contractor with a good reputation. Reliable companies keep a close eye on their technicians and ensure they honor their appointments. Techs must be knowledgeable about diagnosing and repairing your system quickly. Once the problem is identified, they will also be able to quickly and efficiently resolve it.
If you HVAC unit is clicking, there may be something obstructing it. Often the issue is some sort of debris that’s hitting fans in the cooling system. Look at this prior to calling a service technician.
Make sure they have tight seals to keep air inside. You can also hire someone to test things and a lot of the time the testing costs nothing.
It may be tempting to hire the first HVAC company in the phone book, but it’s important to get references from them. Check to see what other customers have experienced with them. This will help you stay away from scam artists, but only if you call those references!
Square Footage
Measure the living area you wish to cool before going air conditioning. You can usually substitute 20 BTU for each square footage of the area to be cooled. If more than one room needs AC service, add together their square footage to reach this calculation.
Don’t purchase an HVAC system unless you know exactly what all is included in your system. There are contractors out there that will make you pay for extra things like charges for fuel or materials. Having a signed contract can help to avoid issues like that.
Any HVAC contractor you hire should have an emergency hotline. They need to be able to come to a home when needed, even if when the weather gets to be extreme.
This article will make you more knowledgeable about all the different HVAC systems available. If you are in need of repair, you know how to find it. Find the correct system by using this advice.
When you get a contractor to come by to offer a quote to you, make sure they do include heat-loss calculation. This will tell you how many BTUs will be used. They need to count your windows, doors, check the insulation, and measure how much space your home has in it.