Stop Making Mistakes When Purchasing HVAC Equipment With This Advice

Many homeowners have no idea what to do when the HVAC system starts to fail. To stop such a situation from becoming a real disaster, it is worth any time spent to become familiar with the subject. This article was put together to help homeowners get the proper help they need.

Know what type of your HVAC system you currently have before calling someone to fix it. This will facilitate the process when your contractor you hire to repair it.

Clean any debris that accumulates on an external condenser unit. Debris can pile up at rates that increase during rainy or windy weather, and this can foul up the inner workings of your system. Debris like this can cause it to overheat, which could be detrimental to your system.

TIP! If you have outside condenser units, make sure to regularly clean the debris that builds up. After a wind or rain storm things may pile up, causing problems with your system.

If you have some problems with the HVAC system, check things out yourself prior to calling in a technician. This will help the repairman determine where the problem is.

Clean your condenser’s fan and coils each spring to ensure that your condenser fan operates at it’s best.Clean off any leaves or debris from your condenser unit regularly.

The coils and blades on the fans should be cleaned once a year. Start by turning off the power to avoid having anything move when you work on it. Remove the grill and the blades, and then you can give them all a gentle clean.

TIP! Clean the coils on the condenser fan from time to time. First, make sure the power is off to ensure nothing moves while you are working.

Sae 20 Oil

Lubricate your fan condenser at least once each year. These ports are usually covered with rubber or metal caps. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.

Leaves and debris can damage your system. When you notice your trees shedding, frequently clean your unit’s fan grill. The fan must not have anything in the way so that air can flow into it, and if it is clogged, you’ll have a lot of headaches eventually.

TIP! Your HVAC unit may suffer when trees start to lose their leaves. At least twice a week, you need to clean the grill of your fan.

Put outdoor units in places with shade.

Have the HVAC system checked twice a year. This should be done in the fall and malfunctions.

Lubricate the oil ports on your condenser once each year. You’ll find these ports are covered with a metal or rubber cap. Use SAE 20 oil that is lightweight and detergent free, and put ten drops or fewer into each one. Make sure not to overfill them.

TIP! Many homeowners forget to oil their condenser at least once per year, but it is required. These ports are typically covered with caps made of metal or rubber.

A programmable thermostat can help you save money on your power bills. Some can even be controlled from a PC or other device.

During the service check, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, the moving parts will be oiled and the freon levels will be checked These simple things will help keep your system running at peak performance.

When choosing the area for placing an outdoor compressor device, place it in a shady area. If the unit is taking in cooler air, the efficiency will be boosted since it will not need to work as hard.

TIP! It’s a good idea to put your outdoor compressor in a shady area. When your unit takes in cool air, it takes less energy to tool the air, thus boosting efficiency.

Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your home. Look in the manual to determine the manufacturer website for air conditioners.

Ask friends and trust for contractor recommendations. People that have gotten great work done in the past generally love to share this information. This will also let you with good information on which contractors you should avoid hiring.

Put your outdoor unit in places with shade. The air in the shade is cooler and can help save on energy costs.

TIP! Put your outdoor unit in places with shade. This will help ensure that the AC is pulling in cooler air, reducing the amount of work it has to do and saving you money.

There are many sites out there that let customers talk about how they were treated by services. This is an excellent method of finding people that you are interested in dealing with as well as those that you don’t.

Do you want to buy a quality HVAC? There are some things you must consider first. Systems get rated according to how large an area they effectively cool and heat. You are wise to err on the side of a unit rather than a smaller one.

If you are a home owner, replace whatever single pane windows you have with more efficient double-paned versions. Having double pane windows allows your air conditioning unit to be run much less during the summer, because the cool air is kept inside the home. This also helps keep it warm in the winter.

TIP! Installing double paned windows can save a lot of money over single panes, so upgrade if you are able. Having double pane windows allows your air conditioning unit to be run much less during the summer, because the cool air is kept inside the home.

Figure out which direction your home faces in order to make your HVAC system can work better. The cooler your home already is, the less time your air conditioner will have to work.

Measure the area that requires air conditioner shopping.You can figure out the unit you need by calculating 20 BTU for each square foot of room space. If you are cooling more than one room, get their square footage added together.

If there isn’t anyone at home, then there’s no need for the AC unit to be running and wasting electricity. When it’s off the house will get hot, but only by a certain amount. Leaving it on all the time only makes it work harder and results in a larger utility bill.

TIP! Turn off your air conditioner when no one is home to help save money. The house will heat up, but not too much.

Hvac System

Replace the air filter monthly to keep your HVAC system every month. This will help your HVAC system running well.

Shop around before hiring an HVAC contractor. Check out the online reviews, and run a quick search on the BBB website to make sure they have been good to past customers. This will help you make the best choice.

TIP! Always take the time to check out the reputation of any HVAC contractor before you consider hiring them. Check with the BBB and look for reviews of potential companies online.

If you have no choice but to put it in the corner, get a unit that lets you direct air flow away from any walls.

Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to verify they have done the type of experience needed to work you require.

Icing up is common in air conditioners. You may even encounter a freeze in your drain line which is often confused with a plumbing leak. If you see this happen, disable the compressor by turning your thermostat to the fan only setting. The ice will melt. You will likely need professional help to stop the problem.

TIP! Air conditioners sometimes ice up. The drain line also occasionally freezes, which can be misdiagnosed as a plumbing leak.

There are some contractors out there that try to charge you more later for such things like material fees and fuel charges. Having a signed contract can help avoid issues like that.

Cover your condenser in the weather becomes less than optimal. This will help it to last for a long time. Use the fan instead to avoid putting strain on the unit.

There are plenty of online tools, such as sizing calculators, which can help you find the best unit to cool your home. If you get something that’s too big, it won’t work as well for you in the end. Any unit’s manual will be able to give you an accurate idea for the size of the unit versus your home.

TIP! If you are purchasing an AC unit, there are calculators on the Internet that can help you figure out the right size. Buying one that’s too large will not cool that well.

It is known that if a home’s cooling or heating fails at certain times of the year it can really be something that a homeowner dreads dealing with. However, homeowners can avoid this disaster by having the unit serviced twice a year. The tips you just read will help you with whatever comes your way.

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