Maintaining your homes HVAC system is a major part of home ownership. To learn more you have to stay on top of your game. This article will provide you with some guidance.
When your contractor comes to fix your unit or install a new one he should walk around your home and investigate whats 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 keep your air conditioning unit running efficiently make sure you replace or clean the air filter once a month. Check the owners 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.
If you have a window air conditioner without a timer use a regular outlet timer to control when it is on or off. These are the same ones you use for holiday lights so all you have to do is plug your air conditioner into the timer and set it to cool you during the day.
If you have a window air conditioner be sure to check and see if it has an Energy Saver button. If so use it! This turns off the fan when the unit isnt actually cooling the air which can save you as much as 30 kwh over the period of a month!
In order to boost efficiency place new outdoor units or move your current unit to a place which resides in the shade. If the air your machine draws in is already cooler it will require less energy to regulate before its filtered into your home.
Look to your neighbors and family to get recommendations of good HVAC specialists. Likely theres someone you know whos already done a ton of research. Use this knowledge to help get you the best specialist you can. This can save you many hours of research time and money too.
Consider all of your alternatives before installing a central air conditioner. You can only cool certain rooms use whole-house fans or even make use of a geothermal system. The more efficient the system you set up the less youll spend on utility bills over time as you use it.
Installing a whole-house fan can either cool your home without the use of air conditioning or make your air conditioner more efficient. It blows out all of the hot air which collects in your attic and this air flow draws in cool air from your basement and up into your home.
To block out the sun on hot summer days allowing your air conditioner to run less frequently invest in heat blocking drapes. These textiles come in beautiful patterns and colors today looking just like their designer counterparts. They will keep the heat out so that your home stays cooler without costing you an arm and a leg on utility bills.
For greater efficiency put a radiant barrier in your attic. It will serve as a barrier between your home and the outside. If its done right the attic can become another useful living space.
Before you get into the hot summer months make sure to schedule a tune up for your current HVAC system. This is very important to keep issues from popping up with your system. Its a small cost to pay compared to the large bills to fix issues that could arise.
If your HVAC system is clicking look for blockages right away. Often the issue is some sort of debris thats hitting the fans in the cooling system. Just pull it out and clean the blade off. Check it out yourself first before you call in the professionals.
Call in a contractor to find out if you can install an air conditioner on your current forced-air system without having to install new duct work. This can save you a ton of time and money plus it takes up less space in your walls and rooms to boot.
When your HVAC fails the situation is bad. However if they become well-informed on the topic the process can be smoother. Use the information given here to handle any future HVAC situation with ease.
A lot of people out there just dont realize how much goes into the HVAC trade. They may just think that people know this stuff because they try hard at it and thats the case most of the time. However you should still learn some easy to follow information so you can get the lowdown on all of this.
If you want to keep your air conditioning unit running efficiently make sure you replace or clean the air filter once a month. Check the owners 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.
An HVAC system is a really expensive investment. This is why you should do some browsing before purchasing your system. Try to find a good sale so you can get your system at a discount. Check out a couple of sites before making a decision. A great site to begin is www.energystar.gov.
Be sure to get every quote or estimate in written form. You have no recourse on a verbal agreement so a written contract is a must. This will allow you to follow up if something goes wrong or you dont get what you were promised protecting you from shady contractors.
Make sure that your contractor provides a home assessment. Not every HVAC solution is for everyone. Your home could have special needs for heating and cooling. Your contractor should do a walk around of your space to judge what is best. If they arent be sure to request one.
When the spring comes and the days begin to warm up call in a pro to give your HVAC a once over. This will ensure that your air conditioner works as expected all summer long stopping you from sweating it out when you least expect the system to fail.
When you buy a new air conditioning unit dont let the salesperson talk you into too large of a unit. This will be a waste of money and wont efficiently cool your home. The longer a system runs the more efficient it will be when its running so look for one which runs 15 to 30 minutes.
Whether you have an air conditioner in a window or outside your home be sure to keep it in the shade. The cooler the air around it and the cooler the condenser itself the easier a time it will have of keeping the air inside your home cool as well.
Get an estimate before agreeing to have any work done on your HVAC unit. 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.
Try to stay away from HVAC contractors that ask for upfront payments before they are willing to get started on the work they were hired to do. In many cases this means that they are more concerned about getting paid than they are about making sure the job is done well.
Make your HVAC work efficiently when you consider what way your home faces. Strategically placing trees around your home can block some of the heat coming from the sun preventing your home from overheating. The less heat inside the house the less time that the AC has to work.
Keep your condensers free of nearby obstructions. Keep plants 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.
Keeping your homes HVAC system working properly is a must if you want to avoid extremes of heat and cold. However sorting through all of the different options that are available to you can be tricky. Let the information that you have read here guide your next purchase of an HVAC system.