10 Expert Cooling and Heating Tips From Cleveland HVAC Technicians
Heating and cooling problems can have a serious impact on your home. First, they can severely affect the comfort and safety of your home. Secondly, problems like broken HVACs can be costly to fix. Therefore, it’s very crucial to keep on top of things where your home’s HVAC system is concerned. And if you’re wondering how these expert cooling and heating tips from Cleveland HVAC technicians can help you.
Support Your HVAC System
Your HVAC unit is a machine; the more it runs, the faster the wear and tear. Consequently, this leads to increased inefficiencies and more frequent breakdowns. Therefore, one of the expert cooling and heating tips to maintain your system is to support it, reducing its workload and wear and tear.
One of the top ways you can support your HVAC system is by installing the right type of doors. For example, with luxury sliding glass doors, you can open and close the doors whenever necessary, improving the airflow in your home. Opening the doors can also let airborne contaminants out, thus improving indoor air quality. And since you won’t be using your HVAC system when the doors are open, the few hours you shut it down can greatly reduce its workload.
Insulating your home is another top way you can support your HVAC unit. Insulation helps to trap air inside the house, allowing for faster cooling and heating and reduced energy loss. This can greatly reduce the workload of your HVAC system, thus, adding to its lifespan. In addition, according to the Department of Energy, insulation can help you reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 20%.
RV Air Conditioning Requires Maintenance
Do you live in or own a mobile home? Your RV’s air conditioning system also needs maintenance. Failure to do so can lead to problems such as uncomfortable temperatures in your trailer during summer and winter or costly repairs and replacements. Therefore, routine maintenance on your RV’s AC is another expert cooling and heating tip from Cleveland HVAC technicians that can save you a lot of trouble.
There isn’t much difference between your home’s and RV’s AC maintenance. Therefore, you must regularly check on the filters and clean or replace them as often as possible to keep your unit running smoothly. In addition, you need to clean the evaporator and condenser coils and check your unit for leaks, low refrigerant levels, and structural damage (to the exterior unit).
Apart from maintaining your RV’s air conditioner, you should also promptly fix any issues. And for the best outcome, you should avoid DIY repairs and instead hire a professional familiar with AC models used in trailers. Lastly, consider replacing your AC unit if it’s too old or requires frequent repairs.
Consider Switching to Radiant Heat
HVAC systems are one of the most popular options for heating and cooling homes. However, you could also consider other alternatives. And one of the top options in the market is a radiant heating system, which you can use to keep your home warm.
Radiant heating systems are installed on flooring, walls, or ceiling, with floor systems being the most popular option. They heat your home through contact, as opposed to forced hot air. Consequently, they are much more efficient in warming your home as there’s little to no energy loss. On top of that, by eliminating the forced air from the HVAC unit, radiant heating systems can reduce the number of airborne pollutants circulating in your home.
Of course, switching to radiant heating can be expensive since you have to invest in whole-house repiping to install the heating systems, but the benefits are worth the costs. Additionally, according to the U.S. News, radiant heating can reduce your energy costs by between 5% and 30%, making the project more cost-effective in the long run. And as a bonus, heated floors can significantly improve the value of your home when selling.
Keep Your Electrical System Maintained
The HVAC unit relies on electricity to heat or cool your home. Consequently, any issues with your home’s electrical system can greatly impact the system. Therefore, keeping your electrical system in good condition is another of the top expert cooling and heating tips from Cleveland HVAC technicians to pay attention to.
Electrical system issues can affect your HVAC unit in several ways. For example, wiring problems and low voltage can affect the thermostat and other AC and furnace components, causing inefficiencies. These electrical issues could also damage your HVAC system, leading to expensive repairs. Additionally, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation, electrical malfunctions cause about 51,000 fires yearly, resulting in costly damage and, in some cases, loss of life.
Therefore, to avoid any problems with your HVAC system, you should regularly hire an electrician to maintain your electrical system. This can include inspecting the wiring and fixing damaged sections, giving the electrical panel a tune-up, and ensuring all plugs are in working order. And as a bonus, maintaining your electrical system will offer other benefits like better lighting, a safer home, fewer energy vampires, and lower utility bills.
Avoid HVAC Emergencies
Common HVAC emergencies include the AC breaking down during a hot day or a furnace malfunctioning in winter. Therefore, they can be very frustrating at best, as they can make your home uncomfortable and, in some cases, even unsafe. Therefore, one of the top expert cooling and heating tips is to perform preventive maintenance to mitigate the risk of an HVAC emergency.
To prevent an AC emergency, you should invest in routine maintenance practices like cleaning and replacing the filters, checking for leaks, maintaining the outdoor unit, etc. In addition, you should hire an HVAC contractor to give your AC its annual tune-up, especially just before the summer season starts. Lastly, you should promptly call a technician for repairs when your AC stops working or if you notice worrying signs like increased cooling inefficiency and strange noises coming from your unit.
Likewise, you should invest in regular maintenance and repairs for your heating system to avoid emergencies. You should also hire a Cleveland HVAC technician to service your furnace at least once every year, especially just before the cold season sets in. Some of the vital things to include in this annual tune-up are changing the filters, inspecting the blower fan, cleaning the burners and chimney, and checking for air leaks.
Replace Your Old Windows
Are you struggling to identify what’s causing high energy bills in your home? Check on your old windows. According to the Department of Energy, heat loss through the window accounts for up to 30% of a home’s heating and cooling costs. Therefore, replacing your old and energy-inefficient windows can lead to a significant drop in your utility costs.
But, besides high energy costs, old windows can also have other serious consequences. For example, due to the energy loss, your HVAC unit must work much harder to keep your home comfortable. Consequently, this increases its wear and tear, leading to more frequent and expensive maintenance and repairs and, ultimately, replacement. In addition, according to the EPA, air leaks can allow contaminants to enter your home, affecting indoor air quality and putting your health at risk.
Therefore, if you live in an older house, consider getting replacement windows to improve your home’s energy efficiency and safety. But even if your windows aren’t that old, you can still enjoy many benefits by replacing them with more energy-efficient ones. And as a bonus, new windows can improve your home’s curb appeal and bring in more natural light, making the interiors brighter.
Install a Backup Generator
Power outages in the middle of summer or winter can be devastating; they can leave you without a way to cool or warm your home. This can make your house extremely uncomfortable and lead to other problems, such as frozen pipes. Therefore, having a backup generator is one of the top expert cooling and heating tips from Cleveland HVAC technicians.
A generator, especially a standby model, will ensure the continued operation of your HVAC system during a blackout, thus keeping your home comfortable and safe. It can also prevent damage to your unit (and other electrical appliances) due to common power surges, which are common during an outage. And as a bonus, a backup generator will provide you with lighting and power other essential appliances like the fridge, entertainment system, home security system, etc.
But there are even more reasons to consider investing in generator installation for your home. For example, without electricity, you can be forced to turn to other energy sources like burning firewood and charcoal to warm your home. According to the EPA, these heat sources can release dangerous airborne pollutants, making your home unsafe.
Sometimes, You Just Need a New Duct Layout
Air ducts are vital to your home’s HVAC system. As such, a problem with the ducts can lead to issues like cold and hot spots and frequent breakdowns of your HVAC unit. Therefore, replacing the air ducts is one of the top expert cooling and heating tips that can help to improve your home.
Several reasons can make it necessary to replace your air ducts, the top one being unusually high energy bills. According to the University of Florida, leaking ducts can lose between 25% and 40% of the heating and cooling energy, making your home inefficient. And while you can always patch up the leaks, the repairs will become more frequent over time. Therefore, you’re better off hiring a custom metal fabrication service to create and install new, more efficient air ducts in your home.
The second top reason to consider new air ducts is if you’re replacing your HVAC system. A new unit can offer several benefits like more efficient cooling and heating of your home and improved indoor air quality. However, these perks can be hindered by old and inefficient air ducts. Therefore, you should also invest in a new duct system to avoid this.
Clean AC Units Function Better
Regularly cleaning your air conditioner is one of the most essential expert cooling and heating tips. A clean AC will run more smoothly and efficiently, leading to a more comfortable home and reduced energy bills. In addition, cleaning your unit will reduce the airborne contaminants circulating in your home.
Your air conditioner has several components that require regular cleaning, starting with the condensate drain line. If you fail to clean and maintain it, the drain line can become clogged, leading to inefficient cooling. Ultimately, the AC will stop working and could also suffer costly damage. Therefore, hiring regular AC drain line cleaning services is a vital HVAC maintenance practice.
Besides the drain line, air filters are another essential component of your AC unit. These can also become clogged over time, causing your AC to become inefficient. Therefore, cleaning or replacing the filter is one of the top ways to maintain your AC and make your home more energy efficient. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, clean or new filters can reduce your cooling costs by up to 15%.
Upgrade to a Whole-Home AC Unit ASAP
Does your home lack a central air conditioning unit? Or is the current one old and outdated? Then, investing in a new AC unit is one of the top expert cooling and heating tips you should consider for your home.
You can enjoy several benefits by investing in air conditioning installation for your home. Of course, a new AC will mean better heating and cooling of your home. Additionally, newer units come with the latest air filters, which are very efficient at trapping airborne pollutants in your home, thus making it safer.
Upgrading to a whole-home air conditioning unit can also offer immense economic benefits. For example, a new central AC unit will be more efficient than the old (or portable) model you were using. Consequently, this can lead to a huge decline in energy costs, saving you money. On top of that, a central air conditioner is a great investment, which, according to Money.com, can increase your home’s value by up to 10%.
Heating and cooling systems are vital for keeping your home comfortable and safe. Unfortunately, they are also prone to several issues which can turn your life into a tailspin. However, you can avert most of these problems with the above expert cooling and heating tips from Cleveland HVAC technicians.
