Ever Wonder What the HVAC "Guy" ISN'T Telling You?
- Post By: Greg Crumpton
- Date:
- Category: Blog
Ever wonder what the HVAC “guy” ISN’T telling you, that he could do to promote energy efficiency as well as longevity for your equipment?
We thought this through with an actual homeowner to get her opinion.
What she said:
1. They don’t tell you that you can do some basic maintenance yourself, they want you on their service plan.
The Basics: All HVAC equipment, especially residential is based on very basic science. The number one tenement of those principles is Heat Transfer Capability. By keeping the coils clean from debris, dirt, ant beds, etc… you can really help your systems cool as efficiently as possible, especially the outdoor unit that is most likely lurking behind the azaleas. A simple routine of turning off the power to the outdoor unit and flushing the coils, the thing that looks like a radiator, can keep you in much better shape.
2. They don’t tell you that you can install a programmable thermostat yourself.
A higher-end, programmable thermostat can be a great ally for you and your space, work or home, saving money by reducing the operating hours of the HVAC system. These thermostats are fairly easy to install, usually a direct wire-to-wire installation.
Hint: Make a drawing and label the existing ones as you disconnect them. There are even Wi-Fi enabled thermostats that allow for remote connectivity, these are a great fit for a weekend home or a remote office with little traffic. You can dial in the desired set-point before arrival as well as check the settings after your weekend guests leave to ensure things are back to normal.
3. They don’t tell you the best programming for your thermostat.
Obviously, this will require tweaking based upon your personal preferences, do you like it a little warmer or a little cooler than the average bear? 75* F or so should be a great starting point, you can adjust up or down to suit your needs. Do the same for heating, try 69* F and go from there.
We suggest a five degree rise or lowering mark as a starting point. The goal is that you do not want your equipment running any more than required while you are away, but you do not want it so far from the set point that it has a hard time recovering either. Five degrees will save you a lot of power and allow for a graceful recovery. Over time you can continue to adjust up or down accordingly. Remember, every minute that your equipment is off, it isn’t costing you anything.
4. They don’t tell you to check your condensation pumps and drains regularly to keep from getting water damage.
Insurance companies will tell you the most expensive claims are those involving water. One way to ensure that you keep your claims, and therefore your insurance costs, in check is by doing what you can to keep the HVAC system draining well.
Dehumidification is a naturally occurring benefit to air conditioning. You remove heat out of the air stream by having a surface for the air to interact with that is cooler than the ambient air temperature. That surface is the evaporator coil of your HVAC system. In a normally operating unit, the coil temperature is around 40* F, plenty below the dew point of the air in your house or office. As the warm air collides and moves through the coil, most of the moisture within it falls into the drain pan, where it is removed from the coil area. These drain pans and the associated drain lines and condensation removal pumps can be maintained by the end-user or home owner. A simple 50/50 solution of household bleach and tap water dumped into the drain pan periodically, maybe twice during the summer months, can prevent a clog in the drain and stop an insurance claim from occurring.
5. They don’t tell you they’d rather convince you that you need a new system than work on older equipment.
The HVAC industry is not all that unique from other industries in regards to craftsmanship. Better said, the dying art if craftsmanship. The industry at large has seen a shift over the last 20 years or so and has become dependent upon devolved “parts changers” versus tradesmen who utilized craftsmanship to ply their trade. The down side to that can be witnessed in the industries obsession to replace, versus repair, broken HVAC systems.
Yes, there are many times that a system could benefit from a new indoor unit, a new outdoor unit or both. Energy use, age, and general condition should dictate these decisions, not the lack of talent by the guy performing the diagnosis. So, if you are told, “you just need a new one”, don’t be shy about refusing that and asking for a proper repair of your existing unit.
Keeping the image of any industry in the right light can be challenging, we are only as a good of a group as we are of individuals. Not all contractors or “HVAC guys” are described above. In fact, our industry is full of well-known and not-so-well known companies and people.
Like in any other aspect of life, do your homework, find the right person/company that suits YOU and build a relationship with them. Friends always take care of friends.
