Article by-Bruhn Cook

Are there times when you wonder if your air conditioner or furnace is working properly? Is it hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature? If so, it may be time to look for a new HVAC system. This article has a great deal of useful advice about doing so.

When seeking a new contractor, ask loved ones for referrals. https://zenwriting.net/dylan24isiah/confused-about...ooling-help-this-short-article 'll often have already had someone in for similar work and will know who to trust and who to avoid. If your family hasn't used anyone, ask co-workers or other people you trust in your community for some references.

Let your friends and family know about the discounts that are possible via ENERGY STAR. There's a lot of savings that can be had here, so why hold this good news all to yourself! You can save those closest to you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.

If the fan on your condenser includes oil ports, they must be lubricated annually. Most of these ports have some sort of protective cap covering them. Use SAE 20 oil that is non-detergent and lightweight, and put 10 drops or fewer in each port, but make sure to avoid overfilling them.

If your condenser comes with oil ports, you should lubricate it yearly. These ports are typically covered with caps made of metal or rubber. Use a lightweight, detergent-free SAE 20 oil, putting 10 drops in each port.

Clean your permanent air filters or replace disposable ones every single month. If you have the choice, an electrostatic is the best option on the market today. Be sure to turn off your unit before you change the filter as it should never be run without a filter in place.

When you have an outdoor unit, be sure to keep all plants, flowers, shrubs and trees at least two feet from it. Anything that grows inside it, either above the ground or even roots beneath the soil, can block it up and cause it to break. Give it some breathing room.

Leaves falling from trees can wreak havoc with your HVAC unit. At least twice a week, you need to clean the grill of your fan. An obstruction, such as a leaf, prevents the maximum amount of cool air from entering the system.

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.

Each contractor establishes his own fees, so before you hire one, obtain a few estimates. Getting several quotes will ultimately help you save lots of money. Get in https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/b...b9-11eb-89e3-27da0604e8e2.html with more than a few contractors to best understand the going rate.







When dealing with HVAC contractors, make sure that you get everything in writing. While verbal contracts are legal in many places, it is usually very difficult to prove them. Having everything on paper is a great way to make sure that no ons is confused about any aspect of the process.

Learn the rules and regulations regarding licenses and insurance before hiring an HVAC professional. This way you can check to make sure that any contractor you consider hiring meets any requirements. This can prevent a costly legal process, especially in case of an accident on site. Without insurance, you could be held liable for damages.

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.

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!

If your outdoor compressor unit sits in the sun, consider building a shade over it. Air in the shade is about 5 degrees cooler than air in the sun. This can have a significant impact on your cooling bill. When done properly, you could see up to a 10 percent savings over the season.

It is important that any contractor you hire is familiar with your make and model of HVAC unit. Ask them what brands they work with most frequently and compare it to what you have. If you can't find a contractor that knows your brand well, instead consider who has the best reputation.

When your HVAC system is older than 15 years, the time has come to get yearly check-ups. These systems aren't expected to make it past two decades, so you have to monitor them for any issues which may crop up. In fact, new systems will be more efficient, so it might be time for an upgrade.

Do not let the heat build up inside your home. Lighting, electronic devices and appliances are all common sources of heat inside the home. To prevent this excessive heat, do not put televisions or lamps close to your a/c's thermostat. http://shaun83lauralee.bravesites.com/entries/gene...ng-can-be-at-your-fingertips-2 make the a/c think that the house is hotter than it really is, causing the system to run longer than needed and wasting energy.

When buying an HVAC system from a contractor, don't just purchase from the first person you find. Do a little investigating first. Make sure the person has been in business for a while. Although there are no guarantees, someone who has been around for 10+ years probably had to do something right to stay in the business.

A good HVAC system can keep your home comfortable, no matter how hot or how cold it may be outside. However, it can be hard to find the perfect system for your needs. There is so much that you need to remember. The tips you have read here will be very useful to you.