The comfort of your home has a great deal to do with the temperature that it maintains. This means that it is of utmost importance your HVAC system needs to be in top shape.If you don’t properly care for your unit, things will cost a lot to fix and it will be hard to live with it all. Here are some tips to help you started.
If your HVAC doesn’t seem to be working properly, take a look around the house prior to calling a contractor. This will help the repairman determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
Before you call someone to help you fix your system, be sure to know what sort of system you have in place. Know what the manufacturer’s name is, which particular model you have and what’s gone on with the unit in the past. Your contractor will appreciate this information.
Know what you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be hard for a contractor to provide you a price estimate over the phone without knowing what your current setup is. It will be way more hard if you over the phone without the information readily available.
Clean any debris on an external condenser unit. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can ruin your system. It can cause your unit.
Before choosing an HVAC contractor, think of what you wish to have done. Discussing the problem is simplified if you understand what has happened with the unit. If you don’t have any idea, they will have trouble giving you any sort of quote. So, know this information in advance.
Turn the power off first so nothing moves. Then, pop off its grills, pull the blades out, and gently clean them as well as the unit itself.
Lubricate 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.
Every spring you should clean the coils and fan blades on your condenser fan. Start by turning off the power to avoid having anything move when you work on it. Secondly, pop the grill off, take the blades off and clean them as well as the actual unit.
Put outdoor condensers in places with shade.
Have the HVAC system inspected twice per year. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
Cover your unit when you are mowing the lawn. Shoot the grass away from the unit. When blowing leaves, do the same. Always take care when passing your HVAC units while moving leaves, grass or other debris.
It is always a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double panes. This also keeps warm in the winter months.
During the visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. This will help keep your system run better.
When the leaves start to fall, the HVAC equipment can be harmed. Clean the fan grill often when leaves are falling. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if debris is blocking this air flow, then your system could suffer.
Air conditioners tend to ice up.The drain line might also freeze up.If this is something that’s happening to you, switch the thermostat in your home to fan only so the compressor is disabled. You can call a HVAC professional, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
Companies that are well established have track records that haven’t been. It is always risky to hire someone who does not have a long history.
During cold weather , be sure to turn off outdoor condenser units. Once the temperature drops into the 50s, the unit should no longer be on. This can ensure your unit is working well throughout the years without the cost of repairs.
Ask around so you are looking for a reputable HVAC contractor. People who’ve had great service are often happy to share the name of their contractor. This can also be used to see who you learn the names of those companies that you should avoid hiring.
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand more about your HVAC system. Do not avoid the regular servicing your unit requires. Use what you’ve learned to keep your system up and running.
If at all possible, install double-paned windows in your home instead of those with a single pane. Double pane windows can help minimize how much you use your air conditioner in the summer, because they keep cool air inside the home. This will help you save a lot of money.
