Before calling someone to repair your system, make sure you know what kind of HVAC system you actually have. Get the brand, model name, and if you can you should get the maintenance history out. This will give contractor's a better idea of what to expect before they show up, which will help things go more smoothly on arrival.
If you do have a good experience with a HVAC product or contractor, let others know. Go online and post a review so that people can easily find out who and what brands to trust. At the same time, you can check reviews online to learn more yourself about what's available.
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.
If you want to pay for less power use, consider installing an HVAC-specific solar panel system. Such an installation harnesses the power of the sun directly for your heating and air conditioning. Don't worry though; you can have a switch put in that automatically connects to the power grid the days there isn't enough sun.
Sometimes, it can be hard to figure out if your HVAC system needs to be fixed or needs to be replaced. If your system frequently breaks down, is always turning on or off on its own, or if your bills are too high, it may pay to have it replaced. Otherwise, little things can just be fixed.
In order to avoid having any problems with your air conditioning unit, keep all vegetation at least two feet away from the outdoor unit. The unit should be clear of any vegetation on all sides and above. When you mow the lawn, aim the grass clippings away from the a/c unit. This will prevent grass getting inside the a/c and making it malfunction.
Don't let your home get way too hot to where it's dangerous. Air conditioners can cool a home by just twenty degrees in a short time. If you have your home at above 100 degrees then you can only get it to about 80 or above. Depending on humidity levels, this isn't even a safe temperature for a human body to sleep at to recover from summer heat.
Regular maintenance of your unit should be performed annually. During this service visit, they will inspect the motor of the system, oil the moving parts and check the freon levels in the system. Small problems can occur in any of these areas and lead to serious issues if ignored for too long.
Don't allow your home to become dangerously hot. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair time. If your home become 100F or more, it will only cool off to about 80F. Taking into consideration the humidity level, this may not even be adequate for the human body to recover from excessive heat while sleeping.
You shouldn't rely on a single quote from one contractor to gauge the cost, because different specialists set their own price. You will be likely to save some cash if you take the time to call around before you decide. In an ideal situation, you can estimate a reasonable rate by getting quotes from up to a half-dozen individual contractors or businesses.
To reduce the air conditioning's energy cost, close drapes, blinds and shades that cover windows which face the sun. Also, white shades will reflect the heat away from the house, keeping it cooler and saving you money. It is also check here recommended that you close the vents in rooms that are not used often. This will ensure that you are not spending money cooling less-used rooms.
Do not close your vents. Keep air vents open and unblocked at all times. Many people believe that closing off a vent will save them money on cooling costs. This is not true. It can actually damage your HVAC system. Closing vents can cause your cooling coil to freeze and damage the compressor.
Improve the efficiency of your air conditioning by installing ceiling fans. Change the airflow direction of the ceiling fans. During the summer, the blades should move in a counter-clockwise direction. During the winter, the blades should move clockwise to help move the hot air in the ceiling down into the room.
While price should be one of the considerations you make when you are hiring an HVAC contractor, do not allow it to cloud your judgement. There are other factors that need to be considered in order to make a sound decision. Experience level, work ethic and positive reviews are a few things that should be considered as well.
As stated in the above article, keeping your HVAC system humming along is important to the overall comfort of your home. A bad HVAC system is one that will leave you with a big headache when trying to repair it. Don't let your HVAC system go bad on you, and with these good tips to follow, you should have a good understanding of how to maintain it so it works properly for a long time.
