Article by-Benjamin Gilmore

Keeping a home cool in the summer and warm in the winter is one of the most fundamental duties of a homeowner. Knowing the right person to call in the event of an equipment failure is essential to staying comfortable on a year-round basis. By reading the material below, there should never be any doubt about what steps to take.



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

Be sure to get every quote or estimate in written form. You have no recourse on a verbal agreement, so a written contract is a must. This will allow you to follow up if something goes wrong or you don't get what you were promised, protecting you from shady contractors.

If nobody is home, turn off the AC. The house will heat up, but not too much. When you keep it on, you will be using electricity.

Know what you need before you hire a contractor. Discussing https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/get-your-home-ready-for-summer-heat-with-an-hvac-tune-up-301291521.html is simplified if you understand what has happened with the unit. Getting an estimate will be even more difficult if you cannot adequately describe the problem. Thus, it is worthwhile to have this knowledge ahead of time.

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

Install a thermostat you can program to save money on cooling your home. 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. Some newer programmable thermostats have computerized controls you can access from your personal computer, laptop or mobile media device.

Consider all of your alternatives before installing a central air conditioner. You can only cool certain rooms, use whole-house fans, or even make use of a geothermal system. The more efficient the system you set up, the less you'll spend on utility bills over time as you use it.

Before having someone install a new HVAC system or maintain or repair yours, make sure they are insured. Having someone who is insured work on your system will assure that if anything happens while they are working at your home, they are financially covered and you will not be responsible.

Before you hire a contractor, make sure you get different quotes. By calling around and asking a few different contractors, you can save a ton of money. Ideally, five or six contractors should be called so you can get a good ball park figure of a reasonable rate.

Problems with an air conditioning unit happen when it ices up. The drain line may also freeze up. If this happens, turn the thermostat so it is on fan only mode, which will disable the compressor. You can call a HVAC professional, but switching to the fan will make the ice melt.

Get a more efficient HVAC system by looking at the way your home faces. Strategically placed trees can block sunlight and help keep the home cooler without the use of an AC unit. Anything that provides shade from direct sunlight can reduce the temperature inside your home and help reduce your energy bill for air conditioning during warm months.

If you don't want to install ductwork in your home, consider a mini-split system instead. They work form the outside in, allowing your whole home to cool without a central air conditioner. This allows you to enjoy all of your indoor space in a cool, comfortable way all summer long.

Before having someone install a new HVAC system or maintain or repair yours, make sure they are insured. Having someone who is insured work on your system will assure that if anything happens while they are working at your home, they are financially covered and you will not be responsible.

Improve the efficiency of your air conditioning by installing ceiling fans. Change the airflow direction of the ceiling fans. During the summer, the blades should move in a counter-clockwise direction. During the winter, the blades should move clockwise to help move the hot air in the ceiling down into the room.

Consider how long a contractor has been in business before you hire them. The longer they've been in your community, the more likely they are to do a good job. Fly by night operations pop up wherever people haven't heard of them before, and they're just the firms you want to avoid.

Before Recommended Studying 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.

Always find out how much experience a contractor has in the business. Make sure they are experienced doing the kind of work that you need. This will help to maximize their productivity.

Keep your evaporator coil clean. A dirty coil will cause the unit to strain when cooling air. You can clean the coil yourself easily. Simply remove the front panel to expose the coil and use a soft brush attached to a vacuum to remove any dust and debris that has accumulated on the coil.

An HVAC system is expensive. Therefore, you want to make sure that you work with a reputable contractor or company to ensure that you get the most from your investment. Always get references from anyone that you are considering working with, and make sure to follow up on each of those references.

As stated in the above article, it is very important to you and your home to have a properly running HVAC system. Without it functioning right, it can lead to a very expensive fix and a big headache for you. Don't let this happen to you! Use the tips here to make sure your HVAC system lasts as long as you own your home.