When seeking a new contractor, ask loved ones for referrals. They'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.
When a contractor gives you a list of references, be sure to make use of it. Call the people on the list and ask about the quality of the work, how closely they came to their quote and whether or not the work was completed according to the promised timeline.
If your HVAC system is acting up, take a tour of the house prior to calling a professional. Jot down the rooms that are hot and the ones that are cold. You can then relay this information to the technician so that they can more easily figure out what the problem is.
Get any agreement with an HVAC contractor in writing. Some contractors try to skip over this step and charge customers a fortune. If you have a certain price and warranty in writing, they cannot http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=176026 big savings in energy use, with the improved efficiency.
If you have fans in place to help make your HVAC more efficient, be sure that they're turning in the right direction. They should be pushing air downwards over the people in the room to help cool their skin. If it's blowing upwards, all it does is push hot air into the room.
Whether you have an air conditioner in a window or outside your home, be sure to keep it in the shade. The cooler the air around it, and the cooler the condenser itself, the easier a time it will have of keeping the air inside your home cool as well.
Determine which way your home faces in order to establish efficient HVAC operation. Trees placed in the right places can keep the sun from heating your home too much. The less heat, the easier time the air conditioner in your home will have.
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.
When water condenses on your air conditioner, it drips into a pan and drains out. This drain should be inspected on a regular basis. If algae forms in the drain line or if the drain line freezes, you could be in for some expensive repairs. The drip pan could overflow causing extensive damage to your ceilings.
Never hire anyone to work on your HVAC system unless they are licensed and bonded. This industry is one where mistakes happen often and you want to make sure that you are protected. You do not want to be stuck paying for medical bills that are more expensive than the work you were having done.
Do not close your vents. Keep air vents open and unblocked at all times. Many people believe that closing off a vent will save them money on cooling costs. This is not true. It can actually damage your HVAC system. Closing vents can cause your cooling coil to freeze and damage the compressor.
Think about installing a digital programmable thermostat to keep your heating and cooling bills low. These digital thermostats have timers that allow you to completely control your HVAC use. You can set the heat and cooling to only turn on when you are home and to turn off when you are at work.
If you're only wanting to do the minimal amount of HVAC maintenance, you should work on replacing your air filter. It will improve the efficiency of your unit. Filters are inexpensive, so there is no excuse for not doing it.
When you need to find a contractor to handle your HVAC work for you, make sure that the one you choose has a phone number they will answer 24-hours per day. You should have the ability to get them out to your home, whether it is the midst of a horrible heat wave or a snow storm.
The biggest step to preventing problems in your air conditioner is getting a professional tune-up once a year. This is especially important before the summer. This is when your air conditioning system will be working its hardest. Getting regular tune-ups reduces the risk of malfunctions and will keep you cool all summer long.
You should never hire an HVAC contractor without researching them thoroughly. While this may seem like a nuisance, it will ensure that you have a quality person completing work for you. There is a chance that something bad can happen with any contractor, but the odds decrease if you hire someone competent.
There is a lot to know about HVAC before you get involved in a purchase decision. Using the advice from our experts will make the decision easier. If you've got the time, review the tips above one more time for sake of clarity. Use the tips to make a more informed decision when it counts.
