Your home is only enjoyable when it's comfortable. That is why it is important to keep your HVAC system healthy. Homeowners who don't care for their HVAC system soon regret their choice when negligence turns simple maintenance into expensive repairs. The following advice will help you keep your HVAC in great shape.


Understand what you want before talking to a contractor. A contractor will not be able to give you an accurate price without accurate information about your system. It will be even harder if you cannot explain what you have done. It's a good idea to learn this information in advance.

Ask for references and be sure to call them as well. You are dealing with a high ticket item here, so you'll want to do your due diligence to make sure you are getting the best for your money. Ask for references, but don't stop there. Call each reference to check. A lot of people don't take that important last step.

Clean the fan blades and coils prior to summertime. Make sure your power is off before doing more than cleaning, such as working on the unit. Remove leaves and debris from the outside condenser.

If you want to pay for less power use, consider installing an HVAC-specific solar panel system. Such an installation harnesses the power of the sun directly for your heating and air conditioning. Don't worry though; you can have a switch put in that automatically connects to the power grid the days there isn't enough sun.

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.

One way to save some money with A/C is by having a programmable thermostat installed. If you adjust it to keep the house a little warmer or a little cooler during the time you are sleeping, you may see your energy bill go down by as much as ten percent. Some can even be controlled from a computer.

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

Make sure that the HVAC contractor you plan to hire does not use subcontractors to do their work. Many people use this as an excuse to shirk their responsibility in the event that something goes wrong when your system is being worked on. Only allow this if there is a note in the contract about what will happen if there is an issue.

As you compare new HVAC system, be sure to look at the energy ratings for each unit. The higher they are, the better they will be. Efficiency will not only get your home comfortable faster, but it will save you on your energy bills when you are running your new unit.

When you buy a new air conditioning unit, don't let the salesperson talk you into too large of a unit. This will be a waste of money and click here won't efficiently cool your home. The longer a system runs, the more efficient it will be when it's running, so look for one which runs 15 to 30 minutes.

Never accept the first offer you get when you are looking to hire an HVAC contractor. There are many people out there that charge more than others for doing the same services. Getting price quotes from several companies can help ensure that you are getting a rate that is acceptable.

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.

Do you want to make sure your HVAC unit works for you like it should? It is important to have your unit maintained on a regular basis. Any reputable technician will know exactly what you mean if you call them and ask for a maintenance service on your system.

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.

Now that you have read this article, you should be much better informed about what to look for in a new HVAC system. This is an important decision, so it is not one that you should make in a hurry. Take your time so that you can find the right system for your needs.