3

Click here to load reader

Get Educated About Heating and cooling With These Basic To Follow Suggestion

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Get Educated About Heating and cooling With These Basic To Follow Suggestion

Get Educated About Heating and cooling With These BasicTo Follow Suggestion

HVAC, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning, is how your home stays warm in the winter andcool in the summer. When properly installed and maintained, you and your family get to enjoyreasonable indoor temperatures all year long. Keep reading this article for advice on installation,upgrades, maintenance and repairs of your home HVAC system.

Although most people are thinking of their heating systems during the winter months, airconditioning is also important. When installing a new furnace or heating system, make sure the airducts are also set up to work with your air condition system. Using the ducts for both heating andcooling is the most economical choice.

When a contractor gives you a list of references, be sure to make use of it. Call the people on the listand ask about the quality of the work, how closely they came to their quote and whether or not thework was completed according to the promised timeline.

Get any agreement with an HVAC contractor in writing. Some contractors try to skip over this stepand charge customers a fortune. If you have a certain price and warranty in writing, they cannot goback and change this information. If they do, they could have a lawsuit on their hands.

Having a programmable thermostat installed is a money saving idea. This will help you to keep thetemperature at optimal levels. Also, you can find a thermostat that is controllable from a computeror smart phone.

Change your air conditioner filter quarterly, or four times a year. This not only keeps the air cominginto your home easier and cleaner to breathe, it takes a lot of stress off of your AC unit itself. You getto enjoy health, money savings and reduced energy use altogether at once.

In order to avoid having any problems with your air conditioning unit, keep all vegetation at leasttwo feet away from the outdoor unit. The unit should be clear of any vegetation on all sides andabove. When you mow the lawn, aim the grass clippings away from the a/c unit. This will preventgrass getting inside the a/c and making it malfunction.

Consider an annual service agreement for technicians to regularly inspect your AC unit. Schedulebrief inspections for the winter to make sure nothing is obviously wrong. The most important timefor an inspection and service is just before it starts getting warm. You don't want to discover an ACbreakdown when you need it working most.

If you plan on having a service on your HVAC unit, ask the technician what he will be doing. Anythorough service should consist of several things. The technician should check temperature levels,pressures, amperage draw, and coolant levels. They should adjust any belts that need it and cleanthe coils.

Consider painting the outside of your home in a light color to reflect heat if you live in a hot climate.If your summers are cool, use a dark color to instead heat up your home in the winter. This simplechange can end up saving you a lot on your utility bills.

Do you want to make sure your HVAC unit works for you like it should? It is important to have your

Page 2: Get Educated About Heating and cooling With These Basic To Follow Suggestion

unit maintained on a regular basis. Any reputable technician will know exactly what you mean if youcall them and ask for a maintenance service on your system.

Before you get into the hot summermonths, make sure to schedule a tune upfor your current HVAC system. This is veryimportant to keep issues from popping upwith your system. It's a small cost to paycompared to the large bills to fix issuesthat could arise.

Installing a whole-house fan can eithercool your home without the use of airconditioning or make your air conditionermore efficient. It blows out all of the hotair which collects in your attic, and this airflow draws in cool air from your basement

and up into your home.

When buying an air conditioner, you want to find out with a SEER rating of 13 or higher. 13 is theminimum standard set by the government, so higher ratings, while not mandatory, are going to offeryou better efficiency. SEER ratings can go as high as 19, so keep this in mind as you shop.

Never hire anyone to work https://www.discountfilters.com/ on your HVAC system unless they arelicensed and bonded. This industry is one where mistakes happen often and you want to make surethat you are protected. You do not want to be stuck paying for medical bills that are more expensivethan the work you were having done.

When http://sheldonfrench.jimdo.com/app/flex/blog/preview/451040030 buying an air conditioner,you want to find out with a SEER rating of 13 or higher. 13 is the minimum standard set by thegovernment, so higher ratings, while not mandatory, are going to offer you better efficiency. SEERratings can go as high as 19, so keep this in mind as you shop.

When you are looking to buy a new air conditioner, consider your climate. If you live in a hot, dryarea, then an evaporative cooler will be your best bet. If you live in a humid area, opt for acompressor-style unit as it's the only one which will work.

Be sure to check your Filter Check light frequently on any stand-alone units. If it is on, turn the unitoff as you can't operate it without a filter in place. Clean the filter carefully and return it to itsproper location, but don't operate the unit if the filter is still wet.

Choose a contractor who knows how to work with your current system. If they work with that set-upfrequently, they'll quickly diagnose any problems and know exactly how to maintain it. Choosingsuch a firm will save you time and money, and will also save you from unnecessary headaches.

Get your work order in writing. You should always have a written proposal before the HVACcontractor begins work. This will help prevent overspending, or any extra fees or expenses that youmay be unaware of. Make sure you go over it with your contractor so that you understand everycharge.

Page 3: Get Educated About Heating and cooling With These Basic To Follow Suggestion

Proper maintenance is key to having a good working HVAC system. Don't let your system go bad,use the tips here to inspect it for problems to ensure that you don't have costly repairs down theroad. Keep checking it and remember the tips here to use as guide so you know what to look for.