It might seem overwhelming to learn all about HVAC at first. But this is not necessarily the way it has to be, and the information here is easy to digest. This advice will help even the novice when it comes to HVAC systems.
Know what you want done 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 system. It will be way more hard if you don’t know what’s wrong.
When you start making calls to get someone to help with your HVAC system, it’s a good idea to know what system you have before that phone call. It is important to understand what model it is and which brand it is. Also, if it has been serviced before, you should have that information handy. Then, you’ll be ready to tell the contractor what they need to know.
Clean your condenser’s fan and coils come spring. Clean the outside of your external condenser unit.
Clean the debris on your outdoor condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It can cause it to overheat.
Check the whole house before you call for help. While you are walking through the house, gauge which rooms are the coolest and which are the warmest. If you do this, it will be a great help to the future contractor, who will now be able to quickly locate the problem issue.
Turn the power off first so nothing moves. Next, pop the grill off, pull out the blades and start cleaning them and the unit itself off gently.
Your outdoor HVAC system could suffer when trees lose leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned often during the leaves begin to fall. The fan needs to have an unobstructed path for air to enter the unit, and if it is clogged, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.
If you have a fan condenser with oil ports, it needs to be lubricated every year. You can easily find the ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. 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.
Put your outdoor units in places with shade.
Be sure you have twice annual HVAC system checks. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
If the current location of your HVAC unit outside isn’t working, try having it moved to an area with more shade. It will reduce the temperature of the air going into the unit, meaning that it will not have to work as hard to cool it.
A programmable thermostat can help save money on air conditioning bill. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or other device.
During the service check, the serviceman will inspect the unit’s motor, oil the different moving parts as well as check the system’s freon levels. These few simple things will help your system to run at peak performance.
If you are a homeowner, or if you can get permission from your landlord, install double-paned windows in place of any single panes in your home. 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. Conversely, this also works to keep warm air in during colder months.
Research the companies before hiring them. Check them out at the BBB and online reviews posted by former customers. Doing all of this will make sure you make a better decision.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If this happens, put the fan on to shut the compressor off. You should leave the repair to a professional, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
To cut energy costs, you should service your cooling and heating system once a year at least. Make sure the person takes a look at the motor and examines the levels of freon. Small problems can occur in any of these areas and lead to serious issues if ignored for too long.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your room or home. Look at the manual to determine the manufacturer website for this information.
There are quite a few sites now that offer reviews and referrals for HVAC repair and other important service. This is an excellent method of finding contractors that you wish to work with and those that you don’t.
Turn your AC off if no one is at home. The house will heat up, but not too much. If the A/C is on when you’re gone, it’ll be working hard constantly.
Are you thinking about having a new heating and cooling system? You need to take a few important things. Systems have a rating based on how effectively they can cool or heat an area. You are wise to err on the side of a unit rather than a smaller one.
Check for duct leaks if you you feel your unit seems to not up to snuff. When you have leaks repaired, the tests will pay for themselves.
Do your homework on a number of HVAC companies before selecting the one that has the best reputation and service record. A good start would be the BBB to see if there are any complaints, then search online for review sites where you can see what actual customers had to say about their experience. These steps can help ensure you make the smartest and most informed choice.
That shouldn’t have been too hard for you to follow if HVAC is something you’re ready to get into. Apply this advice and you will be in great shape. Keep up the research and you may be able to create a future in HVAC repairs.
