Understand what you want before talking to a contractor. A contractor will not be able to give you an accurate price without accurate information about your system. It will be even harder if you cannot explain what you have done. It's a good idea to learn this information in advance.
When purchasing a new HVAC system for your home, be sure it is energy efficient. These days, most new HVAC systems are energy efficient; there is a energy star label on the equipment. However, to be sure your utility costs do not go through the roof, choose equipment that is energy efficient.
If the fan on your condenser includes oil ports, they must be lubricated annually. You'll find these ports are covered with a metal or rubber cap. Use a lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.
Make sure clippings don't get on your outdoor units when your mowing your lawn. Instead, make sure that the grass is shooting in the opposite direction. When blowing leaves, do the same. Always take care when passing your HVAC units while moving leaves, grass or other debris.
Be careful when doing yard work that you do not get debris on or in your unit. Shoot grass the other way. The same goes for blowing leaves, so always be careful if you are moving debris near your HVAC devices.
As you compare new HVAC system, be sure to look at the energy ratings for each unit. The higher they are, the better they will be. Efficiency will not only get your home comfortable faster, but it will save you on your energy bills when you are running your new unit.
An investment in a smart thermostat is truly going to save you money. You can program it to turn on and off at certain temperatures or times, allowing you to ensure that your air conditioner or heater isn't running when it doesn't need to be, saving you a ton.
If you want to ensure your air conditioner offers you great performance, keep it dry. If it is located in a dry, cool area, you'll find that the efficiency goes up and the unit lasts a long time. You can even buy a water vapor cooler to cool it as it is running.
Make sure things don't get too hot or cold where your thermostat is. Any electronics or heat sources like lamps or televisions nearby can trick the thermostat into thinking the home is warmer than it actually is. This just means it runs your air conditioning longer than necessary, wasting energy and money.
Looking for an efficient way to cool your home? Consider installing a whole-house evaporative cooler. They use water to cool air instead of traditional chemical coolants, using a ton less energy to cool your home than those other units. That said, they do work best in dry climates and not at all in humid ones.
Icing up is common in air conditioners. In addition, the drain line sometimes freezes, and people often think that there is a plumbing leak. Change your thermostat in situations like this. You should call a pro to fix this problem, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
If your home gets hot in the summer and you'd like to use your air conditioner less often, consider a metal roof. It reflects the heat right back up into the sky, allowing your home to gain less heat on sunny days. Since metal roofs are permanent, you'll save on repair and replacement costs also.
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. It's a small cost to pay compared to the large bills to fix issues that could arise.
Never hire anyone to work on your HVAC system unless they are licensed and bonded. This industry is one where mistakes happen often and you want to make sure that you are Cost Install HVAC protected. You do not want to be stuck paying for medical bills that are more expensive than the work you were having done.
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.
