Many people don’t even think about their HVAC systems until they all the sudden quit working. It can be hard to find the right individual to fix a failing system. This article will help you through this process.
Go through your home before you call HVAC professional. Jot down the rooms that are hot and the ones that are cold. This can help the contractor determine the problem areas quickly and fix the problem easily.
Know the name and type of your HVAC system you currently have before looking for a repair person. This will be helpful to any contractor asks for this information.
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.
Understand what you want before talking to a contractor. If you can’t describe the problem, you may not get an accurate quote. If you can’t explain anything to them, this will be even more difficult. So, figure out this information before anything else.
Your HVAC units might suffer when your trees lose leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill often during the fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if debris is blocking this air flow, it could cause your system to break down.
10 Drops
In order to keep your outside condenser fan running efficiently, make sure the coils and the fan blades are cleaned before the cooling season begins. Always make sure you shut off the power before you do any work on the unit other than superficial cleaning. Leaves and debris can build up inside the unit and cause damage.
Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser at least once each year. You can find the ports covered with rubber or metal caps. 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.
Put outdoor units in places with shade.
Every spring you need to make sure your condenser fan’s coils and blades on the fan part are clean. First, turn off the power so that nothing will move as you are working on it. Remove the grill and the blades, and then you can give them all a gentle clean.
Make sure your HVAC system checked at least twice a year. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
Turn off any outdoor condensers you have when it’s getting cold. This means that you should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This helps your system remain in good condition for many years.
Keep your outdoor units free of debris when you are mowing the lawn. Try shooting the clippings away from it. This same tip applies when you are blowing fallen leaves around the yard. Grass and leaves pose a serious problem for the internal functioning of your unit.
A programmable thermostat can help save money on air conditioning bill. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a computer.
During a maintenance visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These few simple things will help your system to run at peak performance.
Get your HVAC unit serviced two times per year. This should happen in the fall and the spring. Even if you can’t see anything wrong, checking it may help you locate and repair some possible issues.
Research and check the companies before hiring them. Check with the BBB and online reviews of potential companies online. These simple steps can help make the smartest and most informed choice.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this happen, switch your thermostat to fan only to disable the compressor. If the issue persists, call a professional.
Update the windows in your home to double-paned if you own it. Double pane windows will help keep your home cooler in the summer. This will help you save a lot of money.
Companies with proven track record that you can use to decide if they are worth the time and money. Hiring a new contractor who is just starting out can be risky.
There are a lot of online websites that give people the opportunity to leave comments about the service they received. This is useful for finding contractors that you are interested in dealing with and those that you don’t.
In order to keep energy costs down, make sure heating and cooling systems are services at least once per year. The motor should be checked, the parts oiled and the freon levels inspected. These few simple things will help your system to run at its peak performance.
Do you want to buy a new HVAC system? There are several things you need to keep in mind. Systems have ratings according to the total area they can effectively cool and heat. You are better off purchasing a unit rather than a bit too small.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if your unit seems to not up to snuff. Once you fix the leaks, you will save substantial money on heating and cooling costs.
Don’t allow your home to become dangerously hot. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. So if your home is 100ºF, you’ll only get the temperature down to about 80. Depending on how humid the environment is, that is not a healthy temperature for the human body when it rests during sleep.
Determine which way your home faces.If there’s less heat inside your home, then the HVAC will require less work to actually cool the home.
After reading this, you probably know more about HVAC systems. Next time you have trouble with your unit, you will now be much better prepared. Keep the information above in your mind so you can find a good HVAC system.
Sometimes air conditioners get iced up. There are sometimes also freezes that happen in a drain line, and this can be confused for a plumbing leak. If you notice this, switch your thermostat to fan only to disable the compressor. Get a professional to deal with this, even if you see the ice start melting because you turned the compressor off.