A well-maintained HVAC system is an important part of your home. The cost of fixing a system is high while maintaining it could save you that money. This article will provide you with helpful tips to keep your HVAC system operating well thus avoiding expensive repairs.
Before you contact people to assist you in getting your system fixed, know what kind of system you’re working with in the first place. Find out the brand and model and, if possible, dig out the maintenance history. This will give contractor’s a better idea of what to expect before they show up, which will help things go more smoothly on arrival.
Before selecting a HVAC repairman, know what you need done. Discussing the problem is simplified if you understand what has happened with the unit. They need to come look at the unit. Be sure to find this out ahead of time.
Clean your fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Except when you do superficial cleaning, you need to always make sure the power is off on the unit. Also, be sure to clear leaves and debris from your condenser unit.
If there are condenser units as part of your HVAC system, clean them often as they tend to have lots of debris. Wind can pile up all sorts of debris against its grill. It can also cause it to overheat.
Don’t let grass clippings pile up against your outdoor condenser. Make sure you shoot the clippings in the other direction from the unit. This also applies when you blow leaves, so be very careful near your exterior HVAC units when you move debris.
If trees are losing leaves around your home, this can impact your HVAC unit. When you notice your trees shedding, frequently clean your unit’s fan grill. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if debris is blocking this air flow, then your system could suffer.
If you have a fan condenser with oil ports, it needs to be lubricated every year. These ports are often covered by a rubber or metal cap. You should select an SAE 20 oil since it is lightweight and does not contain detergent. Be sure to use just 10 drops or so, or your system may overfill.
When you are choosing a location for the outdoor compressor unit, it’s preferable to use a shaded area. When the unit sucks in cooler air, then less work is required to cool it further which in turn boosts the units efficiency.
When it gets cold outside, it is necessary to turn off outdoor condenser units. The unit will become damaged if you do not take care of it. You will save in repair bills and increase the efficiency of your system.
If at all possible, install double-paned windows in your home instead of those with a single pane. In warmer months, these windows will help to maintain the cooler inside temperature. This same effect also keeps warm air in during the winter months.
One way to save some money with A/C is by having a programmable thermostat installed. Programmable thermostats can reduce your power HVAC energy costs by as much as ten percent, just by dialing back your thermostat ten or fifteen percent up to eight daily hours. In addition, some models make things really easy on you, allowing you to adjust them from the computer.
If you want to ensure you choose a trustworthy HVAC contractor, invest a little time in researching a few different companies, checking out their reputations. Inquire with the BBB and look elsewhere for other reviews from customers. This can help you make the right choice.
Look online for a/c sizing calculators so you can really understand the unit size needed for your home or room. Buying a unit that is too large for your home is a poor decision that wastes money. To get the right information, look in the manual to find out the rating the manufacturer gives the unit for cooling.
Before hiring an HVAC company, you need to find out how long they have been in business. Established companies that are doing well will usually be the best ones to go with. Hiring a newer contractor may be taking a considerable risk.
As stated above, HVAC can be one of the fundamental parts of your home. With luck these tips will save you money. If you don’t follow them, you won’t find any benefit, so keep that in mind.