Anyone that has an HVAC unit in their home knows how it important it is to have it properly maintained. A poorly functioning HVAC system that does no function properly can cost a ton of money. This article offers you tips to keep your HVAC unit in tip top shape.
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. 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. This helps make sure the contractor has the information they will need.
Know the name and type of system you currently have before looking for a repair person. This will let you to give the contractor any information they might need.
Know what work 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 setup is. It will be more hard if you can’t figure out what they need to do.
Before contacting a repair service, do a short tour of the entire home. Figure out which rooms feel hot and which feel cold. This can help the contractor determine the problem areas quickly and fix the problem easily.
Clean your 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.
Clean any debris that accumulates on an external condenser units. You don’t know when things are going to pile up, especially after a windy or rainy storm, and that can ruin your system. It could overheat and cause a disaster with your system to malfunction by overheating.
Before you ever begin looking for an HVAC contractor, first consider the entire job that you’ll need completed. Providing you with an accurate estimate over the telephone may be difficult to impossible is they can’t see the system you have. It will be way more hard if you can’t figure out what they need to do. Understand this information beforehand.
Turn it off first so nothing moves. Then, take the grill off, pull the blades out, and begin cleaning the unit and them gently.
Your HVAC units might suffer when your trees lose their leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill is cleaned frequently when the fall. The fan must be unobstructed to work properly, and if it becomes blocked, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.
By the end of spring, the fan blades and coils of your condenser should be thoroughly cleaned, so operation can proceed with greater efficiency. Shut off power before working or cleaning your system. Additionally, it’s important to clear out leaves and other debris from the outside condenser unit.
Have your HVAC system serviced at least yearly. This should be checked often for debris and the spring.
Turn off outdoor condenser units when it becomes cold out. This means that you should be done when the temperature drops below 60ºF to avoid damage. This can ensure your system remain in good working well throughout the years without the cost of repairs.
Clean the coils on the condenser fan from time to time. Turn the power off so nothing moves. Next, remove the grill, take the blades and clean them gently, then clean the actual unit.
Install a programmable thermostat to save money on cooling your home. Some can even be controlled from your smart phone or computer.
During a maintenance visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, inspect the motor and the freon levels. These few simple things will boost the performance of your system running at peak performance.
You want to put the outdoor compressor device in a shaded area. In this way, it will be cooling air that is already somewhat cooled. This saves energy.
Never allow your home to rise to a dangerously high level. Air conditioners only cool your home down 20 degrees or so within a reasonable time period. If your home gets above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it will only reduce it to 80 or more. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this, put your thermostat over to fan. You can call a HVAC professional, but switching to the fan setting should start to melt the ice.
Consumers are usually advised to have their HVAC systems inspected twice a year. This should happen in the fall and the spring. Whether you know of problems or not, good maintenance will help you to avoid future issues.
Look for calculators online to help you determine the size of unit is necessary for your home. Look at the manual or on the manufacturer website for air conditioners.
Companies that are well established have track records typically provide better service. It is riskier to hire a contractor with little experience.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double pane ones. In warmer months, these windows will help to maintain the cooler inside temperature. They help in the winter, too, keeping the heat in.
Contractors are responsible for their own charges and fees, so make sure to get multiple quotes.You can save quite a lot of money when you call different companies for price quotes. You may want to get quotes from at least five contractors in order to know what reasonable rates are.
Now that you went through this article on HVAC, it shouldn’t be hard to understand what you need to do to keep things running well for a while. The last thing you want is a faulty HVAC system, because that could run you a lot of extra money due to excessive bills and maintenance. Bookmark these suggestions and refer back to them as needed.
Consider getting a programmable thermostat for your AC. You have greater control over the temperature settings with these. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or other device.