How To Make HVAC Equipment Purchases Easier

Follow these tips on dealing with your HVAC system.

TIP! If problems arise with the HVAC system, check the entire house before contacting someone to come for repairs. Determine which rooms are hotter or colder than they should be.

Know what work you need before you hire a contractor. It will be hard for a contractor to provide you with an estimate on the phone without knowing what your current setup is. It will be way more hard if you don’t know what’s wrong.

Clean the fan blades and coils come spring. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit regularly.

TIP! A good place to place your compressor unit outside is in a shady spot. This will limit the work that it has to do.

Your HVAC unit may suffer when your trees start to lose their leaves. Make sure the fan’s grill often during the fall. The fan needs unobstructed air flow, and if it gets blocked, you will end up with many headaches with the unit.

10 Drops

TIP! If there isn’t anyone at home, then there’s no need for the AC unit to be running and wasting electricity. Even though the house will get hotter, it won’t get too bad if the unit is off.

Lubricate your condenser at least once a year. These ports are often covered by a rubber or metal caps. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, putting 10 drops in each port.

Put outdoor condensers in the shade if you are installing them.

TIP! Always take the time to check out the reputation of any HVAC contractor before you consider hiring them. Check them out at the BBB and look for reviews posted by former customers.

Turn off any outdoor condenser when it’s getting cold. This means that you should be done when the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This simple tip will help keep the system running efficiently for years and save you a lot on repairs.

TIP! Air conditioners occasionally freeze up, literally. You may even mistake the frozen drains as an issue for a plumber.

It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows with ones that have double pane ones. This same effect also keeps warm air in heat when it gets cold.

A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help save money on your air conditioning costs. Some programmable thermostats can even be controlled from a PC or computer.

TIP! Ask people you know for recommendations if you need to hire a contractor for an HVAC system. If a person had a good experience with a company, they are likely to share it.

Never let your home to rise to a dangerously hot temperature. Air conditioners are limited in that they can only really cool your home down 20 degrees Fahrenheit in a reasonable time limit. If the temperature in your home reaches 100 degree Fahrenheit, you’ll only cool down to still above 80. This won’t be a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.

TIP! The Internet can really help you out when it comes to finding someone to work on your HVAC unit. Lots of sites exist where customers can leave feedback and reviews.

Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this happen, switch your thermostat to fan only to disable the compressor. You can call a HVAC professional, but switching to the fan setting should start to melt the ice.

TIP! A radiant barrier is an awesome device which will help improve the efficiency of your HVAC unit. It blocks heat from the inside out, lowering the amount of energy needed to cool your home in the summer.

There are a lot of sites these days that let customers talk about their experiences with different services. This is useful for finding people that do good work with and those that are poor.

TIP! All of your windows and doors must be air-tight, in order for your HVAC system to run at maximum efficiency. Seal them tightly to prevent air from coming in.

Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so support the efficient functioning of your HVAC system can run better. It blocks outside heat from coming in which will serve as a barrier between your home cool when it’s hot outside. You may even use the attic as part of your living space if it is done right.

TIP! The one thing you should always do on a monthly basis is change the air filter on your HVAC system. This is an easy way to help you keep things running well for you overall.

Are you looking at purchasing a new HVAC system installed? There are some things you must consider first. Systems are given ratings by how effectively they can cool or heat an area. You are better off purchasing a bigger unit rather than a bit too small.

Check for duct leaks if your unit seems to not up to snuff. When these leaks are fixed, you’ll see that the tests paid for themselves.

TIP! Find an HVAC contractor that can be contacted 24 hours a day, in case of an emergency. You should have the ability to get them out to your home, whether it is the midst of a horrible heat wave or a snow storm.

Determine the direction that your home faces in order to establish efficient HVAC operation. The less your home is heated, the less time your air conditioner will have to work.

TIP! In the winter, protect the condenser unit with a cover that fits around it. This will ensure that your unit is sustained when it isn’t in use.

Measure the living area you wish to cool before going air conditioning. You can figure out the unit you need 20 BTU per square foot. If you are cooling more than one room, get their square footage added together.

TIP! Any contractor that is giving you a quote should do a calculation on heat-loss. This particular equation will help you estimate the number of BTUs needed to keep the home in a comfortable condition.

Pick HVAC business that understands the unit and can work quickly. The most reliable companies will ensure that their technicians stay on schedule. A licensed technician should also easily diagnose any potential faults with your HVAC. After they know what the problem is, it should be taken care of right away.

Ask a contractor about their experience.You need to verify they have the type of work you require.

Always request references from a contractor.

TIP! Do you know that 66 percent of homes have ducts that are leaky? These can cost you as much as twenty five percent of what you pay for utilities. Sealing the ducts is easy and cheap to do yourself, and it may reduce energy costs greatly in the future.

Any HVAC contractor or installer should have a 24-hour emergency hotline. They need to be able to come to you when they are needed, no matter how extreme the weather or what time of day it may be.

TIP! Choose a contractor that prefers Energy Star products. This rating means that the product is more efficient than those without it.

The HVAC in your house is a vital part of your daily life whether you know it or not. If you do not maintain it properly, you may find that it breaks down. Do not let this happen by using these tips to have a properly working HVAC.