Having a solid HVAC system helps your home remain comfortable regardless of the weather outside.While many homes come with these systems in place, you may need to upgrade or replace it at some point. Understanding what to look for in an HVAC system will help you out when it comes to repairs.
Before the summer you should clean out your condenser fan’s blades and coils. Always shut off all power to your unit for any work beyond superficial cleaning. Remove leaves and debris from the condenser outside.
Know what type of system before calling someone to fix it. This will enable you to give your new contractor all the information they might need.
Know what you want done before you select an HVAC contractor. A contractor will be hard pressed to provide you with an accurate estimate without looking at your system.It will be more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Clean the debris from outside units often. Leaves and debris can accumulate quickly, particularly following storms, and that can cause problems for your system. Overheating could occur, which will be problematic.
Clean your condenser’s fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.
Clean any debris that accumulates on your condenser units. You don’t know when things are going to pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It can also cause your system to malfunction by overheating.
You should clean your condenser fan’s blades and coils every spring. First, turn off the power so that nothing will move as you are working on it. Next, remove the grill, take the blades and clean them gently, then clean the actual unit.
Turn the power off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Then, take the grill off, pull the blades out, and begin cleaning the unit and them gently.
Don’t get grass clippings pile up against your outside unit. Aim your grass in a different direction away from your unit. This also applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in the yard.
Lubricate the oil ports on your condenser once each year. Such ports tend to have coverings made of rubber or metal. Chose SAE 20 oil, which has been proven to be the most effective.
Sae 20 Oil
Lubricate your fan condenser once a year. You can find these ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
If you want to know where you should put an outdoor compressor, you should place it somewhere where there is a lot of shade. The cooler the air that the unit is able to access, the less work it has to perform.
Make sure your HVAC system checked at least twice a year. This should happen in the fall and again in the spring.
It is a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This will also help you keep the warm air inside.
Have the HVAC system serviced twice per year. The best times to have the system checked is spring and fall, so you are sure everything is running at peak performance before the heating and cooling seasons. Even if nothing seems wrong, checking it out can help you find and fix potential issues.
A programmable thermostat can really help you save money on your air conditioning bill. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or computer.
During your service visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. These few simple tasks will help your HVAC system to run at its peak performance.
Outdoor condenser units need to be turned off when the weather turns cold. Once the temperature drops into the 50s, the unit should no longer be on. This helps your system remain in good working order.
Do not let your house to get extremely hot.An AC unit will reduce the temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a short time span. So, if you house heats up to about 95, your air conditioning will only bring that temp down to about 80 degrees. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
Research and check the companies before hiring them. Check them out at the BBB and look for reviews of potential companies online. These steps are going to help to ensure your decision is a better decision.
Turn your AC off if no one is at home. By raising the temperature from, for example 78 to 80, your house will be warmer, but only up to 80 before your AC kicks in. If you decide to set the temperature to 82 or 83 or so on, your AC won’t go on until it reaches that temperature. Leaving your heating or cooling running full blast while you are away is a waste of money and energy.
Companies that are well established have a better record than those that can help you decide if they’re worth your money and time. Hiring a contractor may be taking a considerable risk.
Contractors are responsible for their own charges and fees, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You can save quite a lot of cash simply by doing your homework. You may want to call at least five contractors in order to know what reasonable rates are.
Don’t let your home get overly hot. AC units will only cool a house down 20 degrees. If the temperature in your home rises to 100 degrees F or higher, cooling it will only drop the temperature to 80 degrees F. This isn’t a very safe condition for a homeowner to sleep in, especially when the humidity levels are considered.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your existing system is not be working efficiently.When these leaks are fixed, you may see that the testing pays for itself.
Measure the living area that requires air conditioning. You generally need 20 BTUs per square foot of room space. If more than one room needs AC service, make sure to add the square footage together.
Air conditioners tend to ice up at times. Drain lines can also suffer an occasional freeze, and these are sometimes mistaken for plumbing leak issues. When you see ice, turn the unit to fan. You should call a pro to fix this problem, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
A heating and cooling system helps your house remain comfortable year round. The suggestions above should provide you with a good starting point for your consideration if you’re in the market to buy an HVAC system. You’ll quickly find that the info will help you make a much more easy decision next time with your HVAC unit.