The HVAC in your home plays a major role in how comfortable you feel. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to have the best HVAC system possible. This is why you need to know as much about this subject as you can. Here are some helpful tips.
When a contractor gives you a list of references, be sure to make use of it. Call the people on the list and ask about the quality of the work, how closely they came to their quote and whether or not the work was completed according to the promised timeline.
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. If something goes wrong or you don’t get what you were promised, protecting you from shady contractors, this will allow you to follow up.
It’s a good idea to put your outdoor compressor in a shady area. The efficiency will be boosted since it will not need to work as hard if the unit is taking in cooler air.
Whenever possible, try to shade the compressor unit outside. The air that’s in a place that is shaded is usually five to six degrees cooler than the surrounding air. If it is properly shaded during the summer months, your air conditioning unit will be up to ten percent more efficient.
If your evaporator coil, found inside your home, becomes dirty, your unit will lose efficiency. Just pop off the front panel of the check and furnace to see that the coil is dry. Using a brush attachment on a vacuum, gently clean the coil of any dust or other debris.
It is always a good idea to swap out single pane windows for double pane ones. Double pane windows will allow you to use less air during the summer because cooler air will stay in your house. Double-paned windows can help you save on energy costs, as with other steps you take to improve your ability to keep your air conditioned air or heated air inside your home.
Don’t let your home get way too hot to where it’s dangerous. An AC unit will reduce the internal temperature of your home approximately twenty degrees in a fair 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.
Before installing a central air conditioner, consider all of your alternatives. 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 you’ll spend on utility bills over time as you use it.
When you are looking for a service provider to perform service on your HVAC system, look for a company that stands behind their work. This is especially important if your compressor or condenser is being repaired. Repairs to these two things are extremely expensive, so you want to ensure that the service provider warranties their work.
Consider an annual service agreement for technicians to regularly inspect your AC unit. Schedule brief inspections for the winter to make sure nothing is obviously wrong. Before it starts getting warm, the most important time for an service and inspection is just. You don’t want to discover an AC breakdown when you need it working most.
Before they are willing to get started on the work they were hired to do, try to stay away from HVAC contractors that ask for upfront payments. In many cases, this means that they are more concerned about getting paid than they are about making sure the job is done well.
Every year hire someone to give your HVAC unit routine maintenance. This will ensure that it works properly throughout the entire year. It will also allow you to have lower cooling and heating bills. When your HVAC is running properly, it will use the least amount of energy and save you money.
Before you allow anyone to start doing work on your HVAC system, always ask for references. Call several of them to make sure that they are legitimate. Many people take the word of the contractor when it comes to customer satisfaction and that can prove to be a mistake in the end.
Do you want to make sure your HVAC unit works for you like it should? It is important to have your unit maintained on a regular basis. If you call them and ask for a maintenance service on your system, any reputable technician will know exactly what you mean.
Think about installing a digital programmable thermostat to keep your cooling and heating bills low. These digital thermostats have timers that allow you to completely control your HVAC use. You can set the cooling and heat to only turn on when you are home and to turn off when you are at work.
Make sure to get references when hiring your contractor. Check to see what other customers have experienced with them. By checking references, you can avoid being cheated.
Air Conditioning
Although most people are thinking of their heating systems during the winter months, air conditioning is also important. When installing a new furnace or heating system, make sure the air ducts are also set up to work with your air condition system. Using the ducts for both cooling and heating is the most economical choice.
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 owner’s manual on the a/c for instructions on how to clean the filter. Before reinstallling it, never run the unit when the filter is let and removed the filter dry.
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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.
If you are looking to save money with your HVAC system, consider turning down the air conditioner in the summer and turning the heat down in the winter. Putting on a sweater on a cold day can save you a ton of money on your utility bill, as can enjoying a cold drink instead of heavy air conditioning use.
Having a programmable thermostat installed is a money saving idea. It changes the temperature so the system isn’t in use when it’s cooler outside or no one is home. Also, you can find a thermostat that is controllable from a computer or smart phone.
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.
When you buy a new air conditioning unit, don’t let the salesperson talk you into too large of a unit. This will be a waste of money and won’t efficiently cool your home. The longer a system runs, the more efficient it will be when it’s running, so look for one which runs 15 to 30 minutes.
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.
Is your home’s electrical set-up ready to handle a new air conditioning unit? Larger air conditioners need 230-volts to be used, though most homes have 115-volt circuits in place. Some smaller units may need their own dedicated circuit as well to ensure your home doesn’t go dark when you turn them on.
The biggest step to preventing problems in your air conditioner is getting a professional tune-up once a year. Before the summer, this is especially important. This is when your air conditioning system will be working its hardest. Getting regular tune-ups reduces the risk of malfunctions and will keep you cool all summer long.
As the beginning of this article discussed, you need to have a great HVAC system in order to feel comfortable in your own home. The best way to get this kind of system is when you are educated on the topic. The above article gave you the important information you needed.