Authored by-Houston Lind
A HVAC system that works is important for an enjoyable home.
hvac contractor 's a great feeling when you come in from a sweltering day, and it's cool inside, or you come in from a very blustery winter day to the warmth of the inside. However, if your system fails you can find yourself in a nightmare. This article will give you tips on how to properly maintain your HVAC system.
Ask for
http://brooks48tory.tribunablog.com/hvac-this-write-up-has-the-tips-you-required-19195000 when hiring someone to install your HVAC system. Someone may seem like they know what they are doing, but you cannot simply take their word for it. You should be able to call past customers to get an idea of what to expect from this particular installer.
Clean your fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Always shut the power off before doing any work or cleaning on the unit. If you see debris, get rid of it.
Be sure to regularly clean debris from external condenser units. You don't know when things are going to pile up, like right after it's windy or rains, and that can ruin your system. It can overheat, leading to disaster within your system.
When your contractor comes to fix your unit or install a new one, he should walk around your home and investigate what's going on with your current set-up. They should be looking for how much insulation you have, where your windows are and what quality they are and more.
Use your HVAC system to heat your water for free! In the summer, residual heat pulled out of your house is used to heat water through a geothermal system. This will cool your home while allowing you to save a ton on hot water costs, plus it's environmentally friendly to boot!
If you are looking to save money with your HVAC system, consider turning down the air conditioner in the summer and turning the heat down in the winter. Putting on a sweater on a cold day can save you a ton of money on your utility bill, as can enjoying a cold drink instead of heavy air conditioning use.
For top efficiency, figure out what direction your home faces. It's always a good idea to plant trees in areas that will help block the scorching sun that heats up your home and causes your AC unit to work harder. If there is less heat coming into your home, then your air conditioning unit won't have to work as hard.
Try to stay away from HVAC contractors that ask for upfront payments before they are willing to get started on the work they were hired to do. In many cases, this means that they are more concerned about getting paid than they are about making sure the job is done well.
Before having someone install a new HVAC system or maintain or repair yours, make sure they are insured. Having someone who is insured work on your system will assure that if anything happens while they are working at your home, they are financially covered and you will not be responsible.
Each month, you need to get a new air filter and install it in your unit. It's easy and has a huge impact on performance. Filters are relatively cheap, so it does not cost much to do this.
If everyone is out, turn the air conditioner off. By raising the temperature from, for example 78 to 80, your house will be warmer, but only up to 80 before your AC kicks in. If you decide to set the temperature to 82 or 83 or so on, your AC won't go on until it reaches that temperature. It will use more electricity if you keep it running.
Change your air conditioner filter quarterly, or four times a year. This not only keeps the air coming into your home easier and cleaner to breathe, it takes a lot of stress off of your AC unit itself. You get to enjoy health, money savings and reduced energy use altogether at once.
If you plan on having a service on your HVAC unit, ask the technician what he will be doing. Any thorough service should consist of several things. The technician should check temperature levels, pressures, amperage draw, and coolant levels. They should adjust any belts that need it and clean the coils.
In order to save money overnight, buy an air conditioner with a switch that sets it to be fan-only. This will push hot air outside and bring in cool air from near the ground. Turn this on just before bed so that you can cool the house as you sleep.
Before you decide on the location of your air conditioning unit, take a look at the air flow direction. If you must position it in a corner, be sure you can change the direction of air flow to avoid having it hit the wall.
Looking for an efficient way to cool your home? Consider installing a whole-house evaporative cooler. They use water to cool air instead of traditional chemical coolants, using a ton less energy to cool your home than those other units. That said, they do work best in dry climates and not at all in humid ones.
Find a HVAC company that knows its stuff. The best companies will ensure that their technicians will always be on schedule. Contractors ought to be able to find the problem quickly. Once, they find the problem, they will fix it fast.
Keep your evaporator coil clean. A dirty coil will cause the unit to strain when cooling air. You can clean the coil yourself easily. Simply remove the front panel to expose the coil and use a soft brush attached to a vacuum to remove any dust and debris that has accumulated on the coil.
When you hire a contractor to do a job, be sure to listen to what they tell you. For
http://clarita9christinia.blogzet.com/preparation-is-trick-when-it-comes-to-hvac-19782233 , they can give you advice on how to keep your HVAC in working order. Ask about maintenance tips and how often you should be cleaning or servicing the unit.
It's easy to see that HVAC isn't hard to get into if you just take your time with it. In the end, you won't have too much trouble if you put what you've learned here to good use. Don't take our word for it and give it a try yourself before you do anything else!