When your HVAC goes bad, you may end up in chaos. Repairing an HVAC unit is expensive and it can take a while before your home is once again a comfortable environment. The key is to heed sound HVAC maintenance tips like this in this piece.
If you have units that are condensers outside of the home, keep them free of debris. Excess debris can really affect your system’s quality. It can get overheated, which will cause problems with the whole system.
Leaves and debris can damage your system. Clean outdoor units often to remove leaves. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if debris is blocking this air flow, then your system could suffer.
If the fan on your condenser includes oil ports, they must be lubricated annually. These ports are often covered by a rubber or metal cap. Use a lightweight oil and do not overfill them.
Consumers are usually advised to have their HVAC systems inspected twice a year. The best time of year to have the system checked is right before the weather begins to change. Although there might not be any noticeable issues, it is important to provide regular upkeep to prevent bad things from happening.
If you can, install double-paned windows throughout your home. To keep your home cool, investing in double pane windows is a must. Conversely, this also works to keep warm air in during colder months.
When you are away from home, adjust your thermostat to a money saving temperature. Sure, the temp will rise, but no one is home anyway. 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.
Do not let your house get dangerously hot. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. So, if your home temp reaches 100 degrees, your air conditioning will only bring that temp down to about 80 degrees. Depending on how humid it is, this isn’t really that safe for a person to sleep in when it’s really hot.
Icing up is common in air conditioners. There are sometimes also freezes that happen in a drain line, and this can be confused for a plumbing leak. If you see this, try switching your thermostat to just the fan so that it disables the compressor. The ice will melt. You will likely need professional help to stop the problem.
There are plenty of online tools, such as sizing calculators, which can help you find the best unit to cool your home. Buying a unit that is too large for your home is a poor decision that wastes money. Read over the owner’s manual to see the manufacturers suggestions as to the cooling capacity of the unit for the most accurate information.
Use an HVAC company that has been in business for a while. Firms that have been in business for a long time are easier to assess. Hiring a contractor who is just starting out can be risky.
If you don’t know who you should contact to do your HVAC maintenance or any installations, look online to see if you can find reviews. There are a number of great sites out there that let customers talk about how they were treated by services. This can help filter out the people you would like to work with.
Each contractor establishes his own fees, so before you hire one, obtain a few estimates. You have the potential to save a great deal of money if you make several calls prior to reaching a final decision. You should try to contact 5 to 6 contractors to find out what price you can reasonably expect to pay.
A radiant barrier is something that you may want to consider. It will block the heat and lower the energy necessary to keep your home cool in the summertime. If done correctly, this also enables you to start using your attic as a living space.
Decide which way your house faces to make sure your HVAC system can work its best. Strategically placed trees outside your home can block out the morning sun which can cause your home to overheat. When you do what you can to less how much heat comes into your home, your AC unit can work less, which will save money.
Square Footage
If you are purchasing an AC unit, take measurements. You need to know how big the area is that you want to have cooled off. You can easily calculate this by using the formula: 20 BTUs per square footage of space. Add the square footage for multiple rooms together.
Your home’s HVAC system is critical to providing a comfortable environment in your home. If you don’t try to care for it on an ongoing basis, the system can break and cause you frustration. Do not let this happen; keep these tips in mind, and keep your HVAC system running smoothly.