Top Tips About Hvac That Anyone Can Follow



Are there times when you wonder if your air conditioner or furnace is working properly? Is it hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature? If so, it may be time to look for a new HVAC system. This article has a great deal of useful advice about doing so.

Clean your permanent air filters or replace disposable ones every single month. If you have the choice, an electrostatic is the best option on the market today. Be sure to turn off your unit before you change the filter as it should never be run without a filter in place.

When the spring comes and the days begin to warm up, call in a pro to give your HVAC a once over. This will ensure that your air conditioner works as expected all summer long, stopping you from sweating it out when you least expect the system to fail.

When a contractor gives you a list of references, be sure to make use of it. Call the people on the list and ask about the quality of the work, how closely they came to their quote and whether or not the work was completed according to the promised timeline.

When you are no longer using your outdoor air conditioning unit, be sure to protect it with a tight cover. This will keep it free of debris, frost and snow so that you'll have a working unit when the spring comes and you are ready to uncover it and use it again.

Don't allow your home to overheat. Your average AC unit can only reduce the temperature in your home by about 20 degrees in a normal span of time. If your home become 100F or more, it will only cool off to about 80F. While it depends on the humidity, this is not safe for a human to sleep in to recover from the heat of the summer.

Avoid allowing your home to ever get exceedingly hot. It is only possible for an air conditioner to lower the temperature in a home by 20 degrees F in a short time. The temperature will only reduce to about 80 if your home heats up to 100 degrees. Depending on humidity levels, this isn't even a safe temperature for a human body to sleep at to recover from summer heat.

The energy efficiency of a unit should be taken into consideration when purchasing a new heating and cooling system. Although you should be concerned about the price of a unit, the efficiency of the unit will save you thousands over the lifetime of the heating and cooling system and should weigh heavily on your buying decision.

Keep energy costs from rising by having your system serviced annually. During a maintenance visit, professionals can help by inspecting the system's motor, oil the different moving parts as well as check the system's freon levels. These repairs will keep your HVAC system running smoothly.

Whenever possible, try to shade the compressor unit outside. The air that's in a place that is shaded is usually five to six degrees cooler than the surrounding air. Your air conditioning unit will be up to ten percent more efficient if it is properly shaded during the summer months.

Having a radiant barrier installed in your attic is an excellent way to make sure that your HVAC runs better. It will block the heat and lower the energy necessary to keep your home cool in the summertime. It can even make your attic a livable space.

Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure to get multiple quotes. This can help you to save money by knowing what people are charging. Try to contact a minimum of five contractors.

Do you want to make sure your HVAC unit works for you like it should? It is important to have your unit maintained on a regular basis. Any reputable technician will know exactly what you mean if you call them and ask for a maintenance service on your system.

For your outdoor HVAC unit, make sure that your foliage is cleared around it. Two feet distance between the HVAC unit and shrubs is a good amount to remember. If you let the foliage creep up on the unit, it can cause all sorts of Best Time To Service HVAC issues with debris and growth into the system.

When water condenses on your air conditioner, it drips into a pan and drains out. This drain should be inspected on a regular basis. If algae forms in the drain line or if the drain line freezes, you could be in for some expensive repairs. The drip pan could overflow causing extensive damage to your ceilings.

Every season inspect the outdoor condenser unit of your HVAC system. Remove any weeds and leaves that may be obstructing air flow to the unit. Hose off the inside and outside of the unit to remove any dirt build up. Cover the motor with plastic bags prior to rinsing the unit so that you do not get it wet.

Call in a contractor to find out if you can install an air conditioner on your current forced-air system without having to install new duct work. This can save you a ton of time and money, plus it takes up less space in your walls and rooms to boot.

There is a lot to think about when you install an air conditioner unit. For example, a big unit won't remove humidity while a small unit won't cool enough. Placing it in the wrong place can make it less efficient, and not insulating your home adequately could render it almost useless.

Is your home's electrical set-up ready to handle a new air conditioning unit? Most homes have 115-volt circuits in place, but larger air conditioners need 230-volts to be used. Some smaller units may need their own dedicated circuit as well to ensure your home doesn't go dark when you turn them on.

When your HVAC system is older than 15 years, the time has come to get yearly check-ups. These systems aren't expected to make it past two decades, so you have to monitor them for any issues which may crop up. In fact, new systems will be more efficient, so it might be time for an upgrade.

Don't just hire the first contractor you meet or call. Be sure to compare multiple options before going ahead with one. They should meet all of your requirements, be it offering a great guarantee to being able to come and do the work on your budget and within your timeline.

Engaging in HVAC professional services may be overwhelming without proper information. Knowledge will go a long way to improving the experience for you. Now, hopefully are feeling prepared to get help as soon as you can when you have a problem with your HVAC systems.