It seems hard to learn all about HVAC. If you take your time, then this won’t be the case. This advice will help even the issues that you encounter.
If your HVAC system is acting up, take a tour of the house prior to calling a professional. Determine which rooms are hotter or colder than they should be. This can help the contractor determine the problem areas quickly and fix the problem easily.
Know what type of your HVAC system before looking for a repair person. This will enable you can give your new contractor any information they might need.
Know what you want done before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be difficult for a contractor to provide you with an estimate over the phone if they have not seen your current setup is. It will be more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
As the leaves are falling off the trees, your HVAC system can really take a hit. Make sure the unit’s fan grill is cleaned frequently when the leaves begin to fall. If your fan is obstructed, it can keep your system from working properly.
Clean your condenser’s fan blades and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean the outside of your external condenser unit.
Clean the debris that accumulates on your condenser units. Debris can pile up after a storm, and this can foul up the inner workings of your system. It could overheat and cause your unit.
If you want things to be more efficient, get new units outside or have your current one moved into the shade. As you get your air conditioner to suck in cool air it won’t have to do too much work to cool it which saves you some money.
Turn it off so nothing moves. Next, pop off the grill, put the blades out and start to gently clean them along with the unit.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outdoor condenser. Aim the grass cuttings in a direction from the unit. This also applies when you are taking care of the leaves in the yard.
Get your HVAC unit serviced yearly. When they come out for a service visit, expect inspections of freon levels and the motor, and they will oil all the moving parts. These simple tasks will help keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser once a year. You can find the ports covered with rubber or metal cap. Use a lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This also keeps warm air in during the winter.
Do not let your house get dangerously hot. Even the best air conditioners can only realistically cool your home approximately 20 degrees Farenheit. So if your home is 100ºF, you’ll only get the temperature down to about 80. You may suffer adverse effects from letting the house get that hot, too.
During your service visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These easy to do things are going to allow your system running at peak performance.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check with different references to determine the BBB and online reviews as well. This is what you have to do in order to make a contractor that is of high quality.
A radiant barrier is an awesome device which will help improve the efficiency of your HVAC unit. It can help keep heat out during the hot summer months, which means you will lower your power bills. If this is installed correctly, it will give you the ability to actually use your attic as extra space to live in.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times.The drain line may also freeze over.If this happens, switch your thermostat to fan only to disable the compressor. You can call a HVAC professional, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit you need for your home. Look in the manual or on the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
Determine the direction that your home faces. When you determine the parts of your home that get the most sunlight, you can consider strategic landscaping that includes shade trees to somewhat reduce your home’s exposure to heat from direct sunlight. If there is less heat coming into your home, then your air conditioning unit won’t have to work as hard.
Ask your friends and relations for contractor recommendations. People that have gotten great service are usually willing to tell of it. This can also help you to figure out some names of businesses that you should avoid.
There are now different online sites out there that let customers talk about how they were treated by services. This will tell you find a top notch professional.
The HVAC system is only one piece in an efficient home. You must also consider the quality of your windows and doors. All should be tightly sealed with no air getting inside or out. You can get these tested at little to no charge by a professional.
Contractors charge different rates, so make sure you get quotes from several contractors before you make any hiring decision. You can save quite a bit of money when you call different companies for many quotes. You may want to call at least a handful of contractors to determine what reasonable rates are.
That shouldn’t have been too hard for you to follow if HVAC is something you’re ready to get into. You should be able to keep the HVAC system functioning properly using the tips you’ve read above. If you use them wisely, you may find you have learned enough to make money doing it.
When deciding where to place your AC, condition the direction of air flow. Make sure you have plenty of air flow control options if you are forced to install the unit in a corner.