You may think anything to do with HVAC is complicated. This is because of the right information on hand.
Tour your home before calling a contractor. Notice the temperature in each room. Are some cooler or hotter than others? This gives the repairer a starting point to work from.
Know the name and type of your HVAC system you currently have before calling someone to fix it. This makes sure the contractor has the information they will be sufficiently prepared.
If you are having issues with your HVAC, check things out yourself prior to calling in a technician. This will help the repairman determine where the problem is.
When you call an HVAC system for help, you need to be aware of what you need them to do before calling. It is going to be hard to get a price estimate on the phone if the current system isn’t something they’ve seen. If you are unable to explain the work that needs to be taken care of, the conversation will be even less fruitful. Having this information handy will make the process much smoother.
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Know what you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be hard for an HVAC contractor to provide you a price estimate over the phone if they have not seen your current setup is. It will be way more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Clean your fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Turn off the power if you are going to work on your HVAC system. Remove leaves and debris from the outdoor unit.
Clean your fan and coils come spring. Clean the outside of your external condenser unit.
Turn it off so you don’t get hurt or break something. Next, pop the grill off, pull out the blades and start cleaning them and the unit itself off gently.
Clean the fan blades and coils in your condenser each spring. First, turn off the power so that nothing will move as you are working on it. Then take off the grill, take the blades out, and gently clean them.
Don’t let grass clippings on your outside unit. Aim the grass cuttings in a direction away from your unit. This also applies to leaf blowing and any other yard work that results in the yard.
Turn off any outdoor condensers you have when weather turns cold. This should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit.This can keep your system working for many years.
You must keep your HVAC systems oil ports lubricated annually. You will see rubber or metal caps covering the ports. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.
It is a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This same effect also keeps warm air in the winter.
Install a programmable thermostat you can program to save money on cooling your home. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or other device.
In order for your new unit to be as efficient as possible, or to make older units more efficient, make sure it’s put in a shaded area. It will help you save on your energy bill when you do this.
During the service check, the contractor will oil parts, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. These few simple tasks will help your system running smoothly.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this, disable the compressor by turning your thermostat to the fan only setting. If the issue persists, call a professional.
To save money and be more comfortable in your home, install double-paned windows instead of single pane. Try to insulate your windows to prevent air from being lost. When it is cold in the winter months, these same windows will keep the warm air inside as well.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit you need for your room or home. Look in the manual to determine the recommended size for air conditioners.
Ask friends and trust for their HVAC contractor recommendations. People that have had a good experience are often happy to share this information. This will also help you from getting scammed.
To help keep your energy costs down, have your heating and cooling system serviced at least once a year. During this service visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. These easy to do things are going to allow your system to run its best.
Check the ducts to find any leaks if you you feel your existing system is not be working efficiently. When you repair the leaks, you may see that the testing pays for itself.
Figure out which direction your home is facing so your HVAC system can work better. The less heat in your home, the less work your AC will have to do.
When you are away from home, adjust your thermostat to a money saving temperature. With the system off, the house will only heat up to a certain temperature. The unit will use a large amount of electricity to combat the heat during the day when the house is empty.
If you hear a clicking noise coming from the HVAC unit, check immediately for any debris that may have accumulated in it. Often the issue is some sort of debris hitting the fans in your cooling system. Look at the system before you call up a service technician.
Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to verify they have done the sort of work you require.
Some air conditioners can ice up. The drain line might also freeze over. If you see this, put the fan on to shut the compressor off. It is best to call a professional in to fix this particular issue, even though the switch to fan setting should cause the ice to start melting.
Any HVAC contractor or installer should have a 24-hour emergency number available to customers around the clock. They need to be able to come to you when they are needed, no matter how extreme the weather or what time of day it may be.
Some contractors attempt to charge you later for items like materials and fuel charges. Having a good written contract can help to avoid issues like this.
There are sizing calculators available to determine the proper sized system for your home. Buying a unit that is too large for your home is a poor decision that wastes money. Check your manual to figure out what the rating is from the manufacturer to be sure you’re getting the right information.
Now that you’re done with this article, you know some things about the HVAC that you didn’t know before. With the above tips and some motivation, it will be easy to delve into this world. The various issues will make more sense to you and you will find yourself pleased that you invested the time to learn.