The Professionals Share Their HVAC Secrets Here

TIP! Tour your home before calling a contractor. Make a list of the rooms which are comfortable and which just aren’t.

It is frustrating to need work done to your HVAC system when it is super hot or super cold. Learning about HVAC before you need help is the right person to repair it. Read on to do this.

TIP! Clean the fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Prior to working on or cleaning the unit, be sure to turn off the power.

Know what type of system you currently have before looking for a repair person. This will let you know that you’re able to give the contractor any information that can help them.

TIP! Clean the fan blades and coils in your condenser each spring. Start by turning off the power to avoid having anything move when you work on it.

Before an HVAC expert comes to your home to do any repair work, do a short tour of the entire home. This will help the contractor determine what the problem is and how to fix it.

TIP! When the trees are losing their leaves, your HVAC unit can suffer. Clean the fan grill often when leaves are falling.

Know what you need before you select an HVAC contractor. It will be hard for a contractor to provide you a price estimate over the phone without knowing what your current system. It will be way more difficult for him to assist you can’t figure out what they need to do.

Clean your condenser’s fan and coils when the weather begins to warm. Clean off any leaves or debris from your external condenser unit regularly.

TIP! Have your heating and cooling system inspected twice a year. The best times to have the system checked is spring and fall, so you are sure everything is running at peak performance before the heating and cooling seasons.

Clean the debris on an external condenser units. You never know when things can pile up, like right after it’s windy or rains, and that can throw a wrench in your system. It could overheat and cause your unit.

Grass Clippings

TIP! Your home should not have temperatures that are too hot. An air conditioning unit is really only able to reduce the temperature by twenty degrees in a short time span.

Don’t get grass clippings on your outdoor condenser. Aim your grass clippings in a direction away from your unit. This applies when you are taking care of the leaves in debris.

TIP! Always take the time to check out the reputation of any HVAC contractor before you consider hiring them. Check with the BBB and look for reviews of potential companies online.

Lubricate the oil ports on your fan condenser once a year.You can find these ports as they have a rubber or metal cap. Use a lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, putting 10 drops in each port.

TIP! Air conditioners tend to ice up at times. There are also occasional freezes in the drain line, which are often confused for plumbing leaks.

It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double panes. This also works during the cold months to keep in heat when it gets cold.

TIP! Use an HVAC company that has been in business for a while. Established companies that are doing well will usually be the best ones to go with.

A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help you save money on air conditioning costs. Some of these thermostats can even be controlled from your smart phone or other device.

TIP! Check reviews online to find professional help. There are a lot of sites these days that let customers talk about their experiences with contractors.

Air conditioners sometimes ice up at times. The drain line may also freeze over. If you see this, disable the compressor by switching the thermostat to run the fan only. If this doesn’t work, call in help.

TIP! A radiant barrier improves the efficiency of your HVAC. It will serve as a barrier between your home and the outside.

Ask people that you know and family for their HVAC contractor recommendations. People who have used and if they are worth calling. This will also provide you to avoid undesirable companies.

TIP! Are you going to buy a new HVAC system? You could keep a few points in mind. Learn about the size systems need to be for optimal efficiency.

Contractors determine their own fee levels, so make sure that you acquire multiple estimates. You will be likely to save some money this way. Call around to find the rates are.

TIP! If you would like your HVAC unit to be more efficient, simply look at where the front of your home faces. Trees in certain areas can provide shade, which means your house will stay cooler.

Think about getting a radiant barrier installed in your attic so support the efficient functioning of your HVAC system. It blocks outside heat from coming in which will serve as a barrier between your home and the outside. You could even find that you can use the attic as part of your living space if it is done right.

Check for duct leaks if your existing system is not up to snuff. When the leaks are repaired, you’ll see that the tests paid for themselves.

Measure the area that requires air conditioner shopping.You generally need 20 BTU per square foot of the room. If you need to cool multiple rooms, sum their areas.

TIP! Measure the area that requires air conditioning. You will need about 20 BTU per square footage of the room.

Pick an HVAC business that is fast and works quickly to solve the problem. The best companies make sure their technicians will always be on schedule and keep appointments. A licensed technician will also have no problem diagnosing any potential faults with your HVAC. Once the technician figures out what’s wrong, they should also know how to get them resolved efficiently and quickly.

If you can only put it into a corner, make sure your unit permits airflow to be redirected.

Ask any potential contractor about their experience prior to hiring them. You need to verify they have the sort of work you require.

Always make sure to get references prior to hiring any contractor.

Some contractors will attempt to charge you later for items like materials and other charges. Having a signed contract will let you avoid these types of issues.

Always follow up on any references that you receive for an HVAC contractor.

This tells you the number of BTUs your new system requires to keep your home comfortable.

TIP! Refer to the owner’s manual for your unit when you operate it. The owner’s manual has a wealth of information for safe operation of your model and it can help you avoid problems and show you how to fix problems that occur.

You may be surprised that as many as two-thirds of all homes have ducts that are leaky. These leaky ducts can account for up to one fourth of the utility costs you have. Sealing your ducts is both easy and cheap, you can even do it yourself, and it can reduce your electricity bills significantly every year thereafter.

TIP!

The idea of having to hire an HVAC professional may seem daunting if you don’t have the right knowledge. However, with the right knowledge, the process need not be so terrible. Hopefully, you now have the information you need to work with your HVAC system.