It can be difficult for homeowners to know where to go when the HVAC system begins to fail. To ward off disaster, it is helpful to read up on the topic in advance. This article was written to help conscientious homeowners learn how to hire the proper help they need for their HVAC unit.
If your HVAC doesn’t seem to be working properly, check out each room in your house before calling for assistance. This will help the repairman determine what the problem is and how to fix it.
What do you need done? Know this before calling a contractor. This is necessary so that they can give you a quote before doing any work. It will be even harder if you cannot explain what you have done. This is information that you should have prepared in advance.
Know what work you need before you hire a contractor. It will be difficult for a 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 don’t know what’s wrong.
Clean the fan blades and coils come spring. Clean the outdoor condenser unit regularly.
Clean your fan blades and coils each spring to ensure that your condenser fan operates at it’s best. Shut off power before working or cleaning your system. Keep the exterior of the condenser unit free of debris.
Turn the power off first so you don’t get hurt or break something. Next, pop off the grill, put the blades out and start to gently clean them along with the unit.
Trees Start
Don’t let grass clippings pile up against your outdoor condenser. Have the grass shoot in the opposite direction. This also applies to blowing leaves or moving debris. Just be careful with that exterior HVAC unit.
Your HVAC units might suffer when your trees start to lose leaves. Make sure you clean out your fan grill is cleaned often once nearby trees start shedding their leaves. The fan must not have anything in the way so that air can flow into it, and if debris is blocking this air flow, you’ll have a lot of headaches eventually.
Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser once each year. They generally 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.
In order to boost efficiency, place new outdoor units or move your current unit to a place which resides in the shade. You save money this way because the air conditioner is now pulling in cooler air, which is easier to cool further.
Turn off outdoor condenser when it becomes cold out. This should turn it off to prevent damage if the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This can ensure your system remain in good working order.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This will also help you keep it warm in the winter.
When colder weather arrives, switch off all outdoor condenser units. This means that you should turn it off to prevent damage if the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This will keep your system in working order year after year, saving you a ton on repairs.
During a maintenance visit, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the unit’s moving parts and ensure the unit has proper freon levels. These things will boost the performance of your HVAC system running smoothly.
Do not let your house to get dangerously hot. Air conditioners really can only cool a home by just twenty degrees in a reasonable amount of time. If the temperature in your home rises above 100 degrees, it will only reduce it to 80 or more. This is not a healthy environment to live in.
It is a good idea to replace single-paned windows with ones that have double panes. Good double pane windows keep cool air in during the summer and minimize your utility expenses. This same effect also keeps warm air in during the winter months.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check with the BBB and look for reviews as well. Doing all of this will make sure you make a better decision.
Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit is necessary for your home. Look at the manual to determine the manufacturer website for this information.
A good way to save money with your air conditioning is by installing a programmable thermostat. These convenient thermostats may shave ten percent or more off of your bills, because they significantly cut energy use when you’re not around. Additionally, some models of programmable thermostats actually allow you to control them remotely from your office computer or cell phone.
Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so support the efficient functioning of your HVAC system can run better. It will make sure you won’t have to use more energy to keep your home cool when it’s hot outside. You may even use the attic as part of your living space if it is done right.
Make certain they are tightly sealed so air inside. You can get these tested at little to no charge by a professional to test them all for you and often this testing is free.
If everyone is out, turn the air conditioner off. The house will heat up, but not too much. If it is on all day, it is trying to maintain a cool temperature constantly, using a great deal of electricity to fight the heat.
Measure the area you wish to cool before going air conditioner shopping. You generally need 20 BTU for each square footage of the room. When several rooms must be cooled, you must add together all of the square footage.
It’s messy for a homeowner when their heating and cooling system goes down. The situation can be made easier with this advice. Use these suggestions to increase the performance of your unit.
Don’t allow your home to become dangerously hot. An air conditioner can only cool your home by 20ºF quickly. If the temperature in your home rises above 100 degrees, you will only be able to cool it down to 80. You may suffer adverse effects from letting the house get that hot, too.
