Having an HVAC system in good working order can make a home run better. But when your system suddenly stops working, it can be a nightmare. Learning how to maintain your HVAC system begins with the chances of a breakdown; these tips below.
Check the whole house before you call for help. Notice the temperature in each room. Are some cooler or hotter than others? Taking this step aids a contractor in figuring out what the problem is and how to repair it as quickly as possible.
Hvac Contractor
Know what work you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be hard for an HVAC contractor to provide you a price estimate on the phone if they have not seen your current system. It will be way more hard if you don’t know what’s wrong.
Make certain that you clean your condenser when the weather begins to warm. Before you do so, shut off the power to ensure that none of the parts will move while you work on it. Remove the grill and carefully clean the blades and surrounding areas.
Clean the condenser on your debris from outside units often. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can ruin your system. It could overheat and 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.
Many homeowners forget to oil their condenser at least once per year, but it is required. You can easily find the ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. Put about ten drops or less of a good non-detergent SAE 20 oil into each port.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outdoor condenser. Aim the grass in the unit. This also applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in the yard.
10 Drops
If you own your own home or have permission from your landlord, replace your single pane windows with double paned versions. Double pane windows can help minimize how much you use your air conditioner in the summer, because they keep cool air inside the home. Conversely, they keep warm air in during the winter.
Lubricate your condenser if it has oil ports. These are often 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 your outdoor units in places with shade.
Keep your air conditioner off when people aren’t home to save you money. This will save you money on your energy bills. Leaving your heating or cooling running full blast while you are away is a waste of money and energy.
Have your HVAC system serviced twice per year. This should be done in the fall and malfunctions.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double pane ones. This same effect also helps keep it warm air in during the winter.
All contractors charge differently for their services, so get at least four or five quotes before hiring a particular person. Save yourself some money by calling around before you make your final decision. You want to call at least a handful of contractors to determine what reasonable rates are.
A programmable thermostat can help you out when it comes to your air conditioning bill. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from your smart phone or other device.
During this service visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. These few simple things will help keep your system running smoothly.
Are you thinking about buying a new HVAC system? You should first think about several things. Systems have a rating based on how well the system is able to cool or heat an area well. You should buy a little bigger than necessary unit over a little smaller than necessary unit.
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.
Are you thinking about having a cooling and heating system that’s new? There are a number of things to consider. Systems have ratings according to how large an area they can effectively cool and heat. You are wise to err on the side of a unit that is slightly too large for your needs than purchasing one that is a bit too small.
If you would like your HVAC unit to be more efficient, simply look at where the front of 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. This will reduce the work of your AC unit.
Check for duct leaks if your unit seems to not up to snuff. When these leaks are fixed, you may see that the testing pays for itself.
These suggestions should benefit you in taking care of your heating and cooling issues. Bad things will happen when you don’t do regular maintenance inspections. Hopefully, you’ll keep up the regular HVAC maintenance and won’t ever need to worry about this nightmare gripping you or your home.
Choose an HVAC contractor who know what he is doing and works quickly. A sign of a great company is one that arrives on time for their appointment. They should be able to diagnose issues quickly. Once they know what’s wrong, they should also know how to get them resolved efficiently and quickly.