An Easy-to-understand Guide To All Your HVAC Questions
Have you ever woken up to find that your house feels like an ice box, or returned home from work only to find that your living room is like a sauna? If so, you know the importance of knowing where to turn during HVAC emergencies. The article below is intended to provide useful advice to homeowners everywhere who may find themselves in similar straits.
Get all of the details regarding a broken system before calling for repair. Learn the brand, model, and if you have it, the maintenance history. This will help make sure that the contractor you hire has all the necessary information.
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 don't get what you were promised, protecting you from shady contractors.
If your evaporator coil, found inside your home, becomes dirty, your unit will lose efficiency. Just pop off the front panel of the furnace and check to see that the coil is dry. Using a brush attachment on a vacuum, gently clean the coil of any dust or other debris.
To make sure your condenser fan works properly, keep the fan blades and the coils clean. Always turn the unit off before you do anything to it, including leaning. Additionally, it's important to clear out leaves and other debris from the outside condenser unit.
Try to prevent debris from getting in your HVAC unit. When you see nearby trees shedding their leaves, clean the fan grill on your unit constantly. If your fan is obstructed, it can keep your system from working properly.
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 aren't be sure to request one.
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. http://toprankinc.tumblr.com/ worry though; you can have a switch put in that automatically connects to the power grid the days there isn't enough sun.
Consider window air conditioners for your home if you are thinking about installing a central unit. Do you really need to cool your kitchen overnight? Do you have multiple floors with only one housing bedrooms? To efficiently and cheaply cool only where https://www.yellowpages.com/sacramento-ca/hvac-contractors are actually staying, window units are a great choice.
Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so your HVAC system can run better. This will block the heat that comes in. You might even be able to start living in your attic.
Get a more efficient HVAC system by looking at the 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. If there's less heat inside your home, your AC will work less.
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. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/22/europe-to-america-your-love-of-air-conditioning-is-stupid/ combined with a fan will keep you from overheating while saving on your utility bills.
When buying an air conditioner, you want to find out with a SEER rating of 13 or higher. 13 is the minimum standard set by the government, so higher ratings, while not mandatory, are going to offer you better efficiency. SEER ratings can go as high as 19, so keep this in mind as you shop.
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.
For your outdoor HVAC unit, make sure that your foliage is cleared around it. Two feet distance between the HVAC unit and shrubs is a good amount to remember. If you let the foliage creep up on the unit, it can cause all sorts of issues with debris and growth into the system.
Check in on the references for your contractor. You want to make sure that the contractor has satisfied previous customers. Make certain to follow through and contact the references provided.
Use your HVAC system to heat your water for free! In the summer, residual heat pulled out of your house is used to heat water through a geothermal system. This will cool your home while allowing you to save a ton on hot water costs, plus it's environmentally friendly to boot!
It is important to think about the direction air flows from your unit. If you have to place it in a corner of your home, be sure you're getting a unit that has air flow coming from a direction that's not facing the wall.
Ask any contractor you're thinking of hiring for references. Call and ask if their service was everything they expected, timely, and that it stayed on budget. That is why it is vital that you check references, so you don't run into those shady contractors!
Keeping your home in tip-top shape means taking great care of your HVAC system. It is important to keep the system maintained and clean to keep your family comfortable and healthy. Follow the useful tips above to know how to hire the right people and use the right equipment to keep your HVAC system in good shape.
Get all of the details regarding a broken system before calling for repair. Learn the brand, model, and if you have it, the maintenance history. This will help make sure that the contractor you hire has all the necessary information.
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 don't get what you were promised, protecting you from shady contractors.
If your evaporator coil, found inside your home, becomes dirty, your unit will lose efficiency. Just pop off the front panel of the furnace and check to see that the coil is dry. Using a brush attachment on a vacuum, gently clean the coil of any dust or other debris.
To make sure your condenser fan works properly, keep the fan blades and the coils clean. Always turn the unit off before you do anything to it, including leaning. Additionally, it's important to clear out leaves and other debris from the outside condenser unit.
Try to prevent debris from getting in your HVAC unit. When you see nearby trees shedding their leaves, clean the fan grill on your unit constantly. If your fan is obstructed, it can keep your system from working properly.
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 aren't be sure to request one.
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. http://toprankinc.tumblr.com/ worry though; you can have a switch put in that automatically connects to the power grid the days there isn't enough sun.
Consider window air conditioners for your home if you are thinking about installing a central unit. Do you really need to cool your kitchen overnight? Do you have multiple floors with only one housing bedrooms? To efficiently and cheaply cool only where https://www.yellowpages.com/sacramento-ca/hvac-contractors are actually staying, window units are a great choice.
Think about getting a radiant barrier in your attic so your HVAC system can run better. This will block the heat that comes in. You might even be able to start living in your attic.
Get a more efficient HVAC system by looking at the 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. If there's less heat inside your home, your AC will work less.
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. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/22/europe-to-america-your-love-of-air-conditioning-is-stupid/ combined with a fan will keep you from overheating while saving on your utility bills.
When buying an air conditioner, you want to find out with a SEER rating of 13 or higher. 13 is the minimum standard set by the government, so higher ratings, while not mandatory, are going to offer you better efficiency. SEER ratings can go as high as 19, so keep this in mind as you shop.
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.
For your outdoor HVAC unit, make sure that your foliage is cleared around it. Two feet distance between the HVAC unit and shrubs is a good amount to remember. If you let the foliage creep up on the unit, it can cause all sorts of issues with debris and growth into the system.
Check in on the references for your contractor. You want to make sure that the contractor has satisfied previous customers. Make certain to follow through and contact the references provided.
Use your HVAC system to heat your water for free! In the summer, residual heat pulled out of your house is used to heat water through a geothermal system. This will cool your home while allowing you to save a ton on hot water costs, plus it's environmentally friendly to boot!
It is important to think about the direction air flows from your unit. If you have to place it in a corner of your home, be sure you're getting a unit that has air flow coming from a direction that's not facing the wall.
Ask any contractor you're thinking of hiring for references. Call and ask if their service was everything they expected, timely, and that it stayed on budget. That is why it is vital that you check references, so you don't run into those shady contractors!
Keeping your home in tip-top shape means taking great care of your HVAC system. It is important to keep the system maintained and clean to keep your family comfortable and healthy. Follow the useful tips above to know how to hire the right people and use the right equipment to keep your HVAC system in good shape.
