This article has some great information to help you if you like this type of thing.
Before contacting a repair service, do a short tour of the entire home. Jot down the rooms that are hot and the ones that are cold. This gives the repairer a starting point to work from.
Clean any debris off your outdoor condenser unit. You don’t know when things are going to pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can ruin your system. It can cause a disaster with your system to malfunction by overheating.
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.
Be careful when doing yard work that you do not get debris on or in your unit. Try shooting the clippings away from it. This is the same if you are using a leaf blower.
10 Drops
Lubricate your condenser at least once a year. You will notice these ports covered with rubber or metal cap covering them. 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.
When choosing the area for placing an outdoor compressor device, place it in a shady area. If you have a unit taking in air that’s cooler, it won’t have to work so hard to cool air that it sends to your home.
Put your outdoor unit in the shade.
Turn off outdoor condensers you have when weather gets cold.This should turn it off to prevent damage if the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This simple tip will help keep your HVAC running efficiently for many years to come.
Double pane your windows to prevent drafts. Try to insulate your windows to prevent air from being lost. It keeps heat in during the winter, too.
A programmable thermostat can help you out when it comes to your air conditioning bill. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a computer.
During your service visit, the contractor will oil parts, the moving parts will be oiled and the freon levels will be checked These simple things will help keep your system running smoothly.
Do not allow your house to get extremely hot. It takes quite a while to cool a home by more than 20 degrees. This means that if the weather is above 100 degrees, then you’ll still be baking in 80 degree weather at first! Depending on the levels of humidity, that is not a safe temperature when it comes to sleeping or escaping from the heat of summer.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your room or home. Look in the manual to determine the recommended size for air conditioners.
Ask friends and relations for contractor recommendations. People who’ve had quality work done are usually willing to share this information. This can also provide you with good information on which contractors you should avoid at all costs.
An online search will give you further information about any contractor you are considering. In many cases you will find local review sites where previous customers will share the experience they had with companies they used. You will be able to make a more informed choice if you do this.
There are a few sites now that allow customers talk about their experiences with contractors. This will make it easier for you find a top notch professional.
Contractors are responsible for their own charges and fees, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save tons of money when you call different companies for price quotes. You should try to contact 5 to 6 contractors to determine what price you can reasonably expect to pay.
For top efficiency, figure out what direction your home faces. You can help keep your home cool with the strategic placement of trees. The less your home is heated, the less you’ll have to use your air conditioner to cool things off.
Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so your HVAC system. It blocks outside heat from coming in which will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your unit stays hot outside.You could even find that you can use the attic as part of your living space more effectively.
Do you need a new cooling and heating system? There are things you need to keep in mind. Systems get rated according to the total area they can effectively heat or cool. You are wise to err on the side of a bigger unit that is slightly too large for your needs than purchasing one that is a smaller one.
Your doors and windows need to be as efficient as the HVAC system you use. Seal them tightly to prevent air from coming in. You could have a professional run a test for you, and sometimes this testing is done at no charge.
With the right information, an HVAC unit is something anyone can work with. Be sure you pay close attention to everything as you learn. Use these guidelines to make it work.