Secrets The HVAC Experts Don’t Want You To Know

Many people today want their homes to have HVAC units. It ensures the home is comfortable at all times. Since the HVAC unit has machinery, the installation and maintenance will often require professional contractors or technicians. Read on for useful HVAC information.

Check the whole house before you call for help. Note which of your rooms are hot and which are cold. You can then relay this information to the technician so that they can more easily figure out what the problem is.

Clean the fan blades and coils on the condenser fan every spring. For safety, always turn the power off first. Next, pop off the grill, pull out the blades and start cleaning them and the unit itself off gently.

Try to prevent debris from getting in your HVAC unit. During this time of year, check and clear off the fan grill on your unit on a regular basis. The air needs to be unobstructed into the fan, and any blockages create performance issues for the whole system.

If your condenser comes with oil ports, you should lubricate it yearly. You can find these ports covered with rubber or metal caps. Pick out a SAE 20 type of oil because it has no detergent, is lightweight, and you should put around 10 drops in the ports but make it to where they don’t get too full.

Place your HVAC unit in the shade to boost efficiency. You save money this way because the air conditioner is now pulling in cooler air, which is easier to cool further.

As the temperature outside drops, remember to turn off your outdoor condenser unit. When the temperature drops beneath 60 degrees, it’s time to cut off the unit to prevent damage. You will save in repair bills and increase the efficiency of your system.

A programmable thermostat is a simple way to help save money on air conditioning costs. It changes the temperature so the system isn’t in use when it’s cooler outside or no one is home. In addition, some models make things really easy on you, allowing you to adjust them from the computer.

To cut energy costs, you should service your cooling and heating system once a year at least. 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. Those things are going to help your system at peak performance.

Don’t allow your home to become dangerously hot. Even the best air conditioners can only realistically cool your home approximately 20 degrees Farenheit. So if your home is 100ºF, you’ll only get the temperature down to about 80. With high humidity, this is an unsafe temperature even for sleeping.

Research multiple contractors before choosing one. Inquire with the BBB and look elsewhere for other reviews from customers. It would be wise of you to take these steps.

Problems with an air conditioning unit happen when it ices up. The drain line also occasionally freezes, which can be misdiagnosed as a plumbing leak. When you see ice, turn the unit to fan. Talk to a professional if you are unsure of how to do this.

Look for air conditioner sizing calculators online to truly understand what size of unit is necessary for your room or home. If you get something that’s too big, it won’t work as well for you in the end. Use the manual to determine what size is right for you.

Ask those you know for the name of a great HVAC technician, should you need one. If a person had a good experience with a company, they are likely to share it. This can also be used to see who you should avoid.

If your system isn’t working as it should, test its ducts for leaks. Often your utility company is willing to test this for you, and it may be free or lower in cost than you would get with a contractor. If a leak is found, the money spent on finding and repairing the leak will pay for itself.

Square Footage

Take a measuring tape and get the square footage of the area where the unit will be cooling. Typically, 20 BTUs are required per square foot. If you have multiple rooms to cool, be sure to add their square footage together.

Speed should be a concern when you are looking for an HVAC specialist. They should be able to get in and get the job done quickly. A reliable company will ensure their technicians keep appointments and stay on their schedule. A licensed technician should also have no problem diagnosing any potential faults with your HVAC unit quickly. Once the problem is identified, fixing it should be quick and easy.

As you ponder where to install your new AC unit, think about how the air flows around the room. If it has to be placed in a corner, make sure your unit permits airflow to be redirected.

Before you hire a HVAC contractor, you should find out what their experience is. Make sure they are experienced with the kind of work that is needed. That isn’t to say that a worker with less experience can’t handle the job, we all have to start somewhere, but it’s not a chance you should take.

As this article shows, there are things which can be helpful when dealing with HVAC systems and contractors. Ensure that the unit is installed correctly, and don’t forget to maintain it. Keep the suggestions you just read handy for your HVAC maintenance.…

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HVAC-Tips

8 Tips To Cut HVAC Costs

 

The air conditioning system in you home can increase the electricity bill by as much as 60 percent, but you can make some adjustments around the house to lessen its impact. All you have to do is follow the 7 steps below and your home will stay cooler without the need to spend a lot of money.

 

  1. Buy a Programmable Thermostat

 

A programmable thermostat will help you save a lot of money and can pay for itself in just one cooling season in most instances.

 

The reason why this is the case is that it never forgets to adjust the temperature when you can get away with it or shut the system off when you are not home. Out there are some amazing new systems that allow you to control the temperature in your home using your smartphone, which means that it can remain turned off most of the day and you can turn it back on just 30 minutes prior to your arrival.

 

A thermostat stops the compressor once the temperature in your home reaches a comfortable level and this keeps the unit from working harder thus using more energy. If you want to attain maximum savings, you should set the programmable thermostat to a higher temperature when you aren’t home and lower it to 78° Fahrenheit when you are indoors. If this sounds too hot, you should remember that the AC also removes much of the humidity from air, which means that it will feel much cooler.

 

  1. Regularly Clean Your AC Filters

 

The second most important thing you can do to lower your electricity bills is to clean the AC filters regularly.

Clean-Dirty-Furnace-Filters

Natural hair and dust accumulation can clog the filter even if you keep your home clean and this means that the AC unit will use more power to reach the set temperature. This can lead to considerably higher electricity bills, so clean or replace the filters every few weeks.

 

  1. Close All Vents in The Lower Areas of the Home

 

The reality is that heat rises while cool air falls. If you have a multi-story house, you may have noticed that the second story is one of the hardest places in your home to keep cool. Conversely, the basement always seems cooler.

 

Closing all vents in the lower areas of your home helps redirect the cold air to warmer areas and ensures more even temperature without consuming additional energy.

 

  1. Using Ceiling Fans to Improve Air Circulation

 

Ceiling fans help to offset the natural tendency for the cooler air to fall.

 

If you are looking to save energy by keeping the home set to a temperature that’s slightly warmer, ceiling fans can be an excellent way to keep air circulating while using less energy. They can even make you feel up to 8 degrees cooler since they keep the air in your home moving like a fresh breeze.

 

  1. Schedule Annual HVAC Check Ups

 

The unit is inspected and serviced by HVAC technicians to make sure that it operates efficiently. The technicians check for defects, remove any accumulated dirt, replace the air filters if necessary, service the unit, and address any issues that would otherwise snowball into expensive replacements and repairs. Schedule an annual check-up and the energy efficiency of your unit will be increased and the service life of the air conditioning system will be lengthened.

 

  1. Seal Cracks and Crevices

 

You don’t have to be incredibly dexterous to use a caulking gun to seal up the crevices and cracks around windows and doors. Doing this helps prevent the cold air from escaping and ensures that hot air does not leak inside. DIY weather stripping for your doors also ensures that you don’t waste money cooling the outdoors.

 

  1. Change Provider

 

You will pay more if your energy provider charges you more for it, so one of the best ways to save on HVAC costs is to change energy provider.

 

  1. Close the Drapes on the West and South Sides

 

Everyone is aware of the fact that a vehicle can get very hot when you park it in the sun, but most people are not aware that the same thing happens to a house. The reason for this is the sunlight that enters through windows and is converted to heat once inside. Keeping the drapes and blind on any west- and south-facing windows means that you never have to pay extra to get rid of the heat.

 

Contributed by: Heating Furnace Fix.com  Experts in HVAC , Heating and Cooling…

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