Make sure you replace or clean the air filter once a month if you want to keep your air conditioning unit running efficiently. Check the owner’s manual on the a/c for instructions on how to clean the filter. Never run the unit when the filter is removed and let the filter dry before reinstallling it.
Check the entire house before contacting someone to come for repairs if problems arise with the HVAC system. Figure out which rooms are too cool or warm. This information will help the contractor determine where the problem is and how to fix it.
When seeking a new contractor, ask loved ones for referrals. They’ll often have already had someone in for similar work and will know who to trust and who to avoid. Ask co-workers or other people you trust in your community for some references if your family hasn’t used anyone.
To save money on your HVAC system, turn the air conditioning down at night and let your home warm up a bit. To keep yourself cool, use a chilling water-filled pillow to cool down your head and your whole body as a result. This combined with a fan will keep you from overheating while saving on your utility bills.
Leaves falling from trees can wreak havoc with your HVAC unit. During this time of clear, year and check off the fan grill on your unit on a regular basis. When the fan becomes obstructed, you will lose out on quality air.
Don’t let your home get overly hot. An air conditioner can only cool your home by 20ºF quickly. So, if you house heats up to about 95, you won’t see the temperature go below 75 for a while. When you factor in humidity, this can still be dangerously hot for the human body at rest.
Before agreeing to have any work done on your HVAC unit, get an estimate. This will help keep you from being surprised by a bill at the end. Any reputable technician should be able to look at your unit, determine the problem and give you an estimate as to how much it will cost to fix it.
If you have fans in place to help make your HVAC more efficient, be sure that they’re turning in the right direction. They should be pushing air downwards over the people in the room to help cool their skin. If it’s blowing upwards, all it does is push hot air into the room.
Ask the technician what he will be doing if you plan on having a service on your HVAC unit. Any thorough service should consist of several things. The technician should check temperaturepressures and levels, amperage draw, and coolant levels. They should adjust any belts that need it and clean the coils.
Turn off the AC if nobody is home. You may want to turn your unit off if your house will not become extremely hot or cold. The unit will use a large amount of electricity to combat the heat during the day when the house is empty.
Keep your condensers free of nearby obstructions. Keepplants and fencing, even bushes back and away from the unit. Two feet is a good minimum distance it should have from anything, including walls, but the more space you give it to breathe, the better it will work and the less likely it will be to fail.
If you are thinking about installing a central unit, consider window air conditioners for your home. Do you really need to cool your kitchen overnight? Do you have multiple floors with only one housing bedrooms? To cheaply and efficiently cool only where people are actually staying, window units are a great choice.
A great way to reduce the stress on your HVAC unit is to install ceiling fans in your home. During the summer, you can have them blow downward to cool the air and make your home feel more comfortable. In the winter you can reverse the direction and circulate warm air trapped at the ceiling.
Change your filter on a regular basis. This is one of the easiest HVAC tips that you can do yourself. It is also one of the least expensive things that you can do to ensure that your system is running efficiently. Clogged and dirty filters can make your unit work 5-10% harder.
Ask a contractor to come up to size up your home and tell you what options you have if you want to buy a new HVAC unit or system. They’ll have the best advice as they know what sort of systems work in your area or in a home like yours.
When you need to find a contractor to handle your HVAC work for you, make sure that the one you choose has a phone number they will answer 24-hours per day. If when the weather gets to be extreme, they need to be able to come to you when they are needed, even.
When buying a new HVAC unit, make sure that you have it install from a licensed contractor. Ask them for references and make sure that the contractor followed up with customers whenever they needed to. Before you hire them, check the contractor’s record with the Better Business Bureau and Department of Consumer Affairs.
If your outdoor compressor unit sits in the sun, consider building a shade over it. Air in the shade is about 5 degrees cooler than air in the sun. This can have a significant impact on your cooling bill. When done properly, you could see up to a 10 percent savings over the season.
Keeping your HVAC system in good working order is very important to your home’s environment. When it goes bad, it can make living at your house a nightmare. Thanfully, the tips from above provided you with excellent tips to keep your HVAC system lasting a very long time. Refer back to them from time to time to ensure that it does not go bad on you.