You may think that anything to do with HVAC is really complex. Ignorance can be scary. But, some helpful tips may be all that is needed.
What system do you have? You need this information to tell your contractor. Learn the brand and the model. This will help make sure that the contractor you hire has all the necessary information.
Understand what you want before talking to a contractor. This will make the quote process much easier. Getting an estimate will be even more difficult if you cannot adequately describe the problem. So, figure out this information before anything else.
Clean the fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Always make sure you shut off the power before you do any work on the unit other than superficial cleaning. Additionally, it’s important to clear out leaves and other debris from the outside condenser unit.
If the fan condenser on your unit has ports for oil, make sure you lubricate it once a year. You’ll see that the ports here are closed with a rubber or metal cap. Pick a type of SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight. Place 10 or less drops into every port to avoid overfilling.
When it gets cold outside, it is necessary to turn off outdoor condenser units. This means that you should turn it off to prevent damage if the weather falls under 60 degrees Farenheit. This helps your system remain in good working order.
Turn your AC off if no one is at home. You may want to turn your unit off if your house will not become extremely hot or cold. If you leave it on all day, it’s fighting the heat constantly, meaning it’s using a lot of electricity to do its job.
Your home should not have temperatures that are too hot. An air conditioning unit is really only able to reduce the temperature by twenty degrees in a short time span. If your house’s interior temperature hits 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you would only be able to cool it down just above 80 degrees. Taking into consideration the humidity level, this may not even be adequate for the human body to recover from excessive heat while sleeping.
When you want a HVAC contractor who is reliable, you need to spend some time in researching the background and reputation of several potential companies. You may also want to check with the BBB for information. Doing these things beforehand will allow you to make a smart decision.
Before hiring an HVAC company, you need to find out how long they have been in business. Established companies that are doing well will usually be the best ones to go with. Hiring a newer contractor may be taking a considerable risk.
This article has hopefully helped you understand a little bit more about your HVAC unit. It can be tough to get going if you lack motivation, so keep your interest level high. The various issues will make more sense to you and you will find yourself pleased that you invested the time to learn.
