AC-Appliance Pros
Heating
Service Tips
- Always follow manufacturer's routine
maintenance directions
Have entire system checked once a year by a qualified
service person. An annual service check should include such inspection/items
as:
Heat Pump:
Lubricate condenser fan bearings (if not permanently sealed)
Clean air intake side of condenser coil
Tighten electrical connections
Check operating current with volt amp meter
Check supply voltage with volt amp meter
Check refrigerant levels and pressures
Inspect compressor start and run capacitors
Furnace/Air Handler:
Clean or replace filter
Lubricate unsealed blower fan motor and blower bearings
Check and adjust fan belt tension/condition
Clean blower wheel
Inspect/adjust burner
Clean evaporator coil and check fin condition
Clean and inspect drain lines and pan
Check for excessive attic air leakage into return chamber
Is Your Furnace Safe?
Testing your gas-fired appliances for carbon monoxide is highly
technical and requires sophisticated equipment. Don't try to
test your furnace yourself - call your heating professional to
ensure your home is safe this winter.
Other:
Check thermostat for proper operation and calibration
Measure air temperature at supply and return vents
- Safety Check
It is extremely important that furnaces and heaters receive safety
checks before they are turned on each fall. Cracks and leaks
in heat exchangers pose serious health threats. Leaks can cause
fires or allow carbon monoxide to permeate the air you breathe
- Protect Against Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can cause:
· Nausea · Fatigue
· Dizziness · Severe Headaches
· DEATH
If you or anyone in your household is experiencing these symptoms
for unexplained reasons, turn of your heating system immediately,
open a window and seek medical assistance. Call your professional
heating technician to inspect your heating system once you are
out of immediate danger.
Carbon monoxide testing, done by a qualified technician each
year, can save lives.
- 1,500 people die annually from carbon monoxide poisoning (most
of these deaths are due to accidental exposure).
- An additional 10,000 people seek medical assistance every year
due to carbon monoxide exposure.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends
that every home install carbon monoxide detectors. But, like
a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector can alert you to
problems only after they have become extremely dangerous. That's
why it is important to install the detector and have your home
inspected for possible hazards.
- Stop Preventable Fires
According to the Dallas Fire Department, the second leading cause
of preventable fire-related deaths is due to carelessness or
the misuse of heating units. Fires can erupt from dirty furnaces
or heaters, furniture placed too close to a heating unit, a child
knocking over a space heater or sticking something into a furnace,
or other instances of carelessness or neglect.
- Keep your heating unit clean.
- Keep flammable material away from the area surrounding the
heating unit.
- Teach all members of your household about fire safety.
- What's That I Smell?
If you smell an unpleasant odor when you turn on your heating
unit for the first time this fall, it could be simply the elimination
of dust that has formed on the heating elements. However, if
the odor continues for a few hours, or if you experience the
smell each time your unit comes on, have your system checked
immediately. This is an indication of a problem.
- Big Bang...Call for Help
Another warning sign that something is seriously wrong with your
heating system is hearing a loud bang each item the heat comes
on. That sound may be an explosion in your furnace caused by
delayed combustion. Turn your heating system off immediately
and call a licensed heating service company.
- Remember to change your filters
Replace your 1/2" or 1" filters every other month.
- Do not block coils
Be sure that the insurance evaporator (indoor coil) is not blocked
to insure proper airflow across coil. (This may require a professional
service technician to clean coil).
- Change or clean filters every 30
days
Permanent - Clean with mild detergent, per manufacturer's recommendations,
every 30 to 60 days
Replaceable - Replace every 30 to 60 days. Do this earlier if
you have household pets. Do this when you pay your utility bill
as a reminder.
- Use caution not to bend Fins on
the coils
They are fragile and can be easily damaged. Use gloves and read
manufacture recommendations on all chemicals/cleaners.
- Keep your filters clean
This is far more important in air-conditioning than
in heating.
- Set the thermostat
The most economical operation of your system comes from setting
the thermostat properly. Set the thermostat properly. Set the
thermostat at the highest summer setting or the lowest winter
setting at which you are comfortable. Typical settings ar 78
degrees for summer cooling and 70 degrees for winter heating.
When cooling, your operating costs increase from 3% to 8% for
each degree your thermostat is lowered. When heating, your operating
costs increase for each degree your thermostat is raised.
- Ductwork
Check for air leaks, particularly at furnace/air handler. Seal
leaks with duct tape. Ductwork should be insulated with at least
1-1/2" of batt insulation with a foil or vinyl vapor barrier
on the outside.
- Keep doors and windows closed
Close all doors and windows to the outside. This will reduce
the heating load in winter and the cooling load in summer. Your
system will operate more economically as a result. Caulk and
weatherstrip to close air gaps. Be sure to look for air leaks
through openings where plumbing or electrical wiring goes through
walls, floors, and ceilings. Check for drafts from electrical
outlets, around ceiling fixtures, and at attic openings. Annual
energy savings could be as much as 10 percent.
- Close fireplace dampers
- Consider installing storm windows
and doors
Whether hand-made or professionally installed, storm
windows could save you as much as 15 percent a year in heating
costs.
- Activities
Wash/dry clothes during warmest times of day (late morning and
afternoon). Use exhaust fan when cooking only when needed
- Keep vents and grills unobstructed
Arrange your furniture and drapes so that all output vents and
intake grills are free from obstruction. This will reduce the
cooling and heating load on your system for more economical operation.
- Do not close off more than 20% of
the registers in your house
This can cause high resistance and unnecessary heat build up
in the furnace.
- Do not store combustible material
such as paint thinners, gasoline, etc. near your furnace. Do
not have anything combustible within six inches of your vent
pipe.
- Avoid excessive use of exhaust fans
Excessive use of kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans will make your
system work harder. This will increase energy consumption and
costs. Keep costs in check by making wise use of exhaust fans.
- Control direct sunlight
Let the sun induring winter. Keep the sun out during summer.
In summer, direct sunlight increases the load on your cooling
system. Use of window shades and awnings will reduce the amount
of direct sunlight and lower the cooling load. In winter, direct
sunlight reduces the load on your heating system. Open window
shades and awnings to increase direct sunlight and lower the
heating load.
- Insulate - Keep an air-tight house
Be sure all air ducts are well insulated. Ducts also should be
sealed with a vapor barrier. No matter how you heat or cool your
home, you can reduce the load on your heating and cooling equipment
by as much as 20 percent by investing a few hundred dollars in
insulation. And the benefits of insulation - lower utility bills
- continue for years. To find out if your home needs insulation
and/or how much, consult a reputable insulation dealer, your
local building inspector or your county agent. Ensure maximum
retention of heated or cooled air by adding insulation to outside
walls and to the attic. Seal cracks and use storm doors and/or
insulated doors to prevent air leaks. Find out about R-values
and the heating zone for your state. (Arkansas is Zone 5.) buy
the thickness of insulation that will give you the appropriate
R-value. Insulate your attic floor or top floor ceiling. Do NOT
insulate over eave vents or on top of recessed lighting fixtures
or other heat-producing equipment on the attic floor. Keep insulation
at least three inches away from the sides of these types of fixtures.
Insulate floors over unheated spaces such as crawl spaces and
garages. Make sure any ducts in unheated spaces are properly
insulated and that leaks are taped.
- The best insulation of all - warm
clothes
The human body gives off heat, about 390 Btu's an hour for a
man, 330 for a woman. Dressing wisely can help you maintain that
natural heat. Wear closely woven fabrics. They add at least a
half degree in warmth. For women, slacks are at least a degree
warmer than skirts. For men and women, a light-long sleeved sweater
equals almost two degrees in added warmth. A heavy long-sleeved
sweater adds about four degrees, and two lightweight sweaters
add about five degrees of warmth because the air between them
serves a insulation to keep in more body heat.
- Properly vent clothes driers
Be sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside. Also ensure
that your clothes dryer is vented away from your outdoor unit.
- Keep heat away from the thermostat
Make sure no heat-generating appliances are near your thermostat.
These include lamps, TVs, stereo and computer equipment.
If you don't know which firm to call, ask if the contractor
is a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).
consumers can call (972)247-5383 or 1-800-260-8041 to confirm
the contractor is a member or to locate a contractor who subscribes
to the organization's code or ethics.
©2007 AC-Appliance Pros All Rights Reserved
1701 North Greenville Ave. Suite 606
Richardson, Texas 75081
972-664-0055
TACL B00027067E
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