You can keep your home comfortable all year round with an HVAC system. A lot of homes have these systems already in place, but you have to maintain and repair it overtime. It is important to know what you want in an HVAC unit and also how to keep it maintained. Below you will find many solid tips.
If you want to know more about efficiently heating or cooling your home, go online and download the ENERGY STAR Guide. It provides information for homeowners to learn more about how they can save money while still keeping their home comfortable all year round, so it is a worthy ready.
Equipping your home with a programmable thermostat can be an excellent way to cut utility costs. A programmable thermostat can save you up to ten percent on your cooling and heating costs by simply turning the thermostat back ten to fifteen percent for eight hours a day. Additionally, these items can be controlled remotely through your computer.
Look for discounts wherever possible. HVAC systems can be rather costly, so you'll want to seek out whatever discounts and deals that may be out there. When shopping around, ask about any current specials running, and look for discounts that are related to ENERGY STAR compliance. Both can save you a lot of cash.
If the fan on your condenser includes oil ports, they must be lubricated annually. You can find these ports covered with rubber or metal caps. 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 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.
Make sure the equipment you are buying is ENERGY STAR compliant. It may seem a small thing, but it isn't. Products that are ENERGY STAR compliant can save you a lot of money in energy costs over the year. It can be over $100 easily, sometimes a lot more.
If nobody is home, turn off the air conditioner to save money. The house will only heat up to a certain point. The longer the unit stays on, the more it ends up costing you in energy bills.
If you have a window air conditioner, be sure to check and see if it has an Energy Saver button. If so, use it! This turns off the fan when the unit isn't actually cooling the air, which can save you as much as 30 kwh over the period of a month!
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.
To reduce the air conditioning's energy cost, close drapes, blinds and shades that cover windows which face the sun. Also, white shades will reflect the heat away from the house, keeping it cooler and saving you money. It is also recommended that you close the vents in rooms that are not used often. This will ensure that you are not spending money cooling less-used rooms.
Speak with someone close to you to see if they can recommend someone good to service their HVAC unit. People who have had a good experience are often happy to share the name of their contractor. This can also help you learn the names of those companies that you should avoid.
When you are looking to buy a new air conditioner, consider your climate. If you live in a hot, dry area, then an evaporative cooler will be your best bet. If you live in a humid area, opt for a compressor-style unit as it's the only one which will work.
If you live in a hot climate, don't use duct tape on your HVAC. It just dries out and falls off, leaving you with leaks all over the place. Instead, use mastic sealant to cover any holes or gaps in duct work and you'll keep your home comfortable all year long.
If you Air Conditioning Engineer are going to use the Internet as a source for good HVAC contractors, you need to be very careful. You never know who is behind the glowing reviews that are posted all over the Web. There is a chance that the contractor is posting their own reviews or paying others to do so.
You need to measure the space of your home so you can purchase the proper size unit. You can easily calculate this by using the formula: 20 BTUs per square footage of space. Add the square footage for multiple rooms together.
You should do your research before hiring anyone to come to your home to complete any HVAC projects. Watching home improvements shows can be deceiving since things rarely go as smoothly as they do on television. It is very important that you know what to expect before things get started.
Consider a digital window air conditioner with a remote to make use easy as pie. These often come with a thermostat in the remote, turning off the unit when the air near the remote is cool enough. Place the remote on the other side of the room so that the whole area cools down.
While it is common practice to negotiate a rate quoted by a contractor, you should not offer an amount that the contractor will find offensive. They have to pay for things like insurance and overhead costs. Keep this in mind when you are trying to haggle with them for a better rate.
If you already have someone servicing your HVAC unit every year, consider talking to them about installing a new system. Even if you need something custom built, they may have staff on hand who can do what you need. If you already trust them, you know they'll be right for the job.
It is very important for anyone in search of a new HVAC system understand what to look for. Thankfully, the above article gave you excellent tips on this topic. Now the next time you need information about your HVAC system, you can refer back to this article for helpful ideas.
