Follow these helpful tips to put yourself in the best position.
Prior to putting in a service call on your HVAC, be able to identify it. Learn the brand and the model. This will facilitate the process when your contractor asks for this information.
Know what work you want done before you hire a contractor. A contractor will be hard pressed to provide you an over-the-phone estimate if unfamiliar with your system. It will be way more hard if you don’t know what’s wrong.
Clean the debris that accumulates on an external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It can cause a disaster with your system to malfunction by overheating.
Each spring it’s time to clean the inside of your condenser unit, including the fan and the sensitive coil. Before you get started, cut the power. Then, remove the grill, then remove the blades and begin the cleaning process of the blades and the unit.
Your outdoor HVAC unit may suffer when your trees start to lose their leaves. Make sure the unit’s fan grill is cleaned frequently when the fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if debris is blocking this air flow, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.
Lubricate your fan condenser yearly if it has oil ports. You can easily find the ports have a rubber or metal cap. Use a lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
If you need to decide the best place to put your outdoor compressor unit, consider putting it in a location that is in the shade. The cooler the air that the unit is able to access, the less work it has to perform.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows with ones that have double pane ones. This also helps keep in the winter.
Research and check the reputation of companies that you consider using. Check with different references to determine the BBB and look for reviews of potential companies online. These simple steps will help make the smartest and most informed choice.
Once it grows cold outside, turn off your outside condenser unit. If the temperature outside is less than 60ºF, be sure to turn off the unit so that you don’t damage it. This will allow your system to work well every year, and that saves you quite a bit on making repairs.
Air conditioners tend to ice up.The drain line may also freeze over. If you notice this, disable the compressor by switching the thermostat to run the fan only. You should call a pro to fix this problem, but switching to the fan will make the ice melt.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit you need for your room or home. Look in the manual to determine the manufacturer website for this information.
To keep your system running smoothly have your system serviced once a year. During your service visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. This maintenance means that your system will operate optimally.
Ask your friends and family for contractor recommendations. People who have had quality work done are often happy to share this information. This can also help you with good information on which contractors you should avoid at all costs.
Contractors charge different rates, so make sure you get quotes from several contractors before you make any hiring decision. You can save quite a lot of money when you call different companies for price quotes. You may want to call at least a handful of contractors to determine what you should be paying.
Find out how many years an HVAC company has been in business before you hire them. This will ensure that you find someone who knows their stuff. Working with someone that does not yet have a reputation in the business is a bit riskier.
Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so your HVAC system. It ensures that your home cool when it’s hot or cold as it should be. You may even use the attic space more effectively.
Figure out the direction your home is facing so your HVAC system more efficient. If there is less heat in the home from sunlight, then your air conditioning unit won’t have to work as hard.
Consider installing a radiant barrier to your attic to help your HVAC system run more efficiently. It ensures that your unit stays hot or cold as it should be. If this is installed correctly, it will give you the ability to actually use your attic as extra space to live in.
Square Footage
Measure the living area you wish to cool before buying a unit. You generally need 20 BTU per square footage of room space. If the unit will be cooling several rooms, add together their square footage to reach this calculation.
Measure the area that needs cooling before buying a unit. You can figure out the unit you need by calculating 20 BTU per square foot. When you are cooling more than one room, you must add together all of the square footage.
To make your home liveable and comfortable, your HVAC system is an important part of that. Your home will not be livable without a well maintained HVAC system. Put these tips to good use and avoid this from happening.