Your home can be made much more comfortable with a HVAC system. While many homes come with these systems in place, you may need to upgrade or replace it at some point. Understanding how to properly maintain your system can really help you out when the time is right.
If your HVAC is giving you problems, tour your home before calling a technician. Make note of which rooms are cold and which are hot. This gives the repairer a starting point to work from.
Know what you want done before you select an HVAC contractor.A contractor cannot give an over-the-phone estimate without looking at your 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 prior to summertime. Clean the outside of your condenser as well.
If the outside of your home has condenser units, ensure they are constantly cleaned. You never know when things can pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can throw a wrench in your system. Left unchecked, your unit is more likely to break down.
Turn it off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Next, pop off the grill, put the blades out and start to gently clean them along with the unit.
Don’t let grass clippings pile up against your outside unit. Aim the grass in a direction from the unit. This applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in debris.
Double pane your windows to prevent drafts. Double pane windows will help keep your home cooler in the summer. This also helps keep it warm in the winter.
10 Drops
Lubricate the oil ports on your condenser at least once a year. You can easily find the ports covered with rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, putting 10 drops in each port.
To help keep your energy costs down, have your heating and cooling system serviced at least once a year. The contractor should oil the parts that move and check the motor and freon levels. These simple tasks will help keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Put your outdoor units in places with shade.
Turn off any outdoor condenser when the weather gets cold. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This simple tip will help keep the system running efficiently for many years.
Research the companies that you consider using. Look at review sites and check with the BBB. This is what you have to do in order to make a smart decision.
It is always a good idea to replace single-paned windows for double panes. This will also helps keep in the winter.
During a maintenance visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. This will help keep your system will operate optimally.
Ask those you know for the name of a great HVAC technician, should you need one. People will tell you who they have used and if they are worth calling. This will prevent you from getting scammed.
Don’t allow your home to become dangerously high. Air conditioners really can only cool a home by just twenty degrees Fahrenheit within a short time. So, if you house heats up to about 95, your air conditioning will only bring that temp down to about 80 degrees. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check them out at the BBB and online reviews as well. This can help you have to do in order to make the best choice.
To help your heating and cooling system run efficiently, install a radiant barrier in your attic. This will block heat from coming in, which means that less energy will be needed to keep your home cool. If this is done properly, it will help extend your living space.
Locating a good HVAC unit is crucial, as it is an investment. Make sure to use these tips when you need to replace one. They can assist you in making a smart decision that will make you happy for years to come.