Working with HVAC may be hard to start with, but in the end it's easy if you have the right kind of information. This article was put together to help people that want to learn about this kind of a thing. If this is interesting to you, then keep reading.

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.

Before you hire an HVAC contractor, have some sort of idea of the work that needs to be done. You might not be able to get a price quote unless you let the contractor see your current system first. Being unable to explain what has been already done will make it even harder. So be aware of this information ahead of time.

By the end of spring, the fan blades and coils of your condenser should be thoroughly cleaned, so operation can proceed with greater efficiency. Be safe and turn off the power supply before working on your HVAC unit. Leaves and debris can build up inside the unit and cause damage.

Make sure the equipment you are buying is ENERGY STAR compliant. It may seem a small thing, but it isn't. Products that are ENERGY STAR compliant can save you a lot of money in energy costs over the year. It can be over $100 easily, sometimes a lot more.

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.

An investment in a smart thermostat is truly going to save you money. You can program it to turn on and off at certain temperatures or times, allowing you to ensure that your air conditioner or heater isn't running when it doesn't need to be, saving you a ton.

Don't let your home get overly hot. It is only possible for an air conditioner to lower the temperature in a home by 20 degrees F in a short time. If your home become 100F or more, it will only cool off to about 80F. Depending on the levels of humidity, that is not a safe temperature when it comes to sleeping or escaping from the heat of summer.

Try finding online A/C sizing calculators to figure out the ideal size for a unit for the house or a room. If you purchase something that is too big, it won't be cost effective to run. To get the right information, look in the manual to find out the rating the manufacturer gives the unit for cooling.

Before you hire someone from an HVAC place, figure out how long they've been doing this kind of work. Obviously, a company with a longer history and a positive reputation is the better choice. If you choose to hire a new contractor, you may be risking things.

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.

Installing a whole-house fan can either cool your home without the use of air conditioning or make your air conditioner more efficient. It blows out all of the hot air which collects in your attic, and this air flow draws in cool air from your basement and up into your home.

Use your HVAC system to heat your water for free! In the summer, residual heat pulled out of your house is used to heat water through a geothermal system. This will cool your home while allowing you to save a ton on hot water costs, plus it's environmentally friendly to boot!

To run an efficient HVAC, you must ensure your house is fully insulated. First, check into your attic to find out if you have the right kind of insulation and enough of it. If not, investing in getting that up to grade is better than installing a strong HVAC system!

Be sure to test for leaks in the ducts if your system seems inefficient. Call the utility company to test for you, it will usually be cheaper than a contractor. When you have leaks repaired, the testing has paid for itself.

Consider painting the outside of your home in a light color to reflect heat if you live in a hot climate. If your summers are cool, use a dark color to instead heat up your home in the winter. This simple change can end up saving you a lot on your utility bills.

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.

Now you're probably a lot more familiar with HVAC than you were before. It's something that will take you time, but after you learn what to do with it all you'll do fine. Now the only thing left to do would be to get yourself out there to put these tips to good use!