HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Heating
Carefully read and follow the
manufacturer's instructions for care and
use to reduce energy costs and prolong the life
of your furnace.
Your heating system was designed with a
furnished home in mind. If you move in
and have not yet acquired all of your
draperies and furnishings, your home
may seem cooler than you expect.
Thermostats are calibrated to plus or minus 5 degrees.
Setting the thermostat at a higher than desired temperature will not
heat your home faster.
Temperatures normally vary from floor to floor and even room to
room in a home, especially when it is very cold outside.
In extremely cold weather, the furnace will cycle on and off more
frequently and for shorter periods of time.
Clean your thermostat as needed to keep it lint and dust free.
Registers
The registers help regulate the flow of air throughout the home.
Adjust the registers for your family's comfort and lifestyle.
Once adjusted, the registers and thermostat will work together to
maintain the desired temperature.
You are responsible for adjusting dampers and registers.
Do not let furniture, window coverings or other objects block
register airflow including the return air vent.
Clean air return vents and registers as needed.
Filters
Furnace filters should be inspected regularly, cleaned, or replaced
as necessary.
Dirty filters result in reduced efficiency and higher operating costs.
If your system has disposable filters, replace them monthly.
Permanent filters may be vacuumed or tapped to loosen dirt, then
washed with warm water and a mild detergent.
Combustion Air Vents
Furnaces installed in basements use combustion air vents to
supply outside air to the furnace.
Do not block or cover the combustion air vent.
The supply of oxygen is vital to the safe and efficient operation of
the furnace.
Noise
As the heating system operates, it is normal to hear some popping
or pinging sounds. These sounds are the natural result of
ductwork heating and cooling in response to the airflow. There is
no necessary maintenance for this situation.
Humidifier
If your furnace has been installed with a humidifier, refer to the
manufacturer's instructions on care and use. Follow the
instructions carefully.
Tips
Turn on your furnace for a trial run early in the fall.
If there is a problem that requires a professional technician, it is
much more convenient to discover it before cold weather.
When a heating system has not been used for an extended period
of time, you may smell a mild odor when the furnace starts up.
The odor, caused by dust that has settled in the ducts, will
disappear.
If you have a gas furnace and smell gas odor, call the gas
company immediately.
If the system will not start, try the following:
Set the thermostat at HEAT and check the temperature setting.
Check the breaker at the electrical panel. The switch should be
in the ON position.
If your furnace has a pilot light, check to see that the pilot light is
on. If it is not on, check your manufacturer's instructions for
lighting instructions or call the gas company.
Your furnace should have an ON/OFF blower switch. It looks like
a regular light switch and should be in the ON position. (If your
furnace is a high efficiency furnace, there is no pilot light and no
ON/OFF switch.)
Make sure the front panel on the furnace is secure If it's not
secure, the safety switch will not allow the furnace to operate.
If your furnace operates with an electrical ignition, turn the
thermostat to OFF and then back to ON. This allows the system
to reset the ignition.
If the system does not start, call the installing contractor.
If you have any questions about the operation of your heating
system after move-in, refer to manufacturer's instructions.
Heat Pumps
A heat pump will heat your home in the winter and cool your home
in the summer; all in one system. Just as its name implies, a heat
pump "pumps" or moves heat from one place to another. In the
summer, a heat pump moves heat that your home has gained to
the outside leaving the air inside cool and refreshing. In the winter,
this same system moves heat found in the outside air to the inside
to warm your home.
At very low temperatures, the heat pump will call for supplemental
heat to help keep the home comfortable.
The temperature at which supplemental heat is called for is usually
below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Supplemental heat is included in
heat pump design and is usually electric resistance heat.
Although the cost to operate electric resistance heat is higher than
normal heat pump operation, supplemental heat called for
automatically by the heat pump system contributes very little to the
heating bill.
Set your thermostat and forget it. Winter nighttime setbacks are
not necessary with heat pumps. In fact, the energy savings from
night setbacks may be offset by supplemental heat called for when
the thermostat setting is increased the following morning.
Air Conditioning
The size (tonnage) of your air conditioning system has been
specified according to your home's floor plan, total window area
and solar orientation. The system is designed to produce an inside
temperature of 78° F while cooling, as measured in the center of
each room at a height of 5 feet above the floor, under local
conditions as specified in the ASHRAE Handbook.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer's instructions on care
and use.
Air conditioning can add comfort to your home. If used improperly
or run inefficiently, it can result in wasted energy.
Regular maintenance of your air conditioning system will save
energy dollars.
Closed System
A closed system continually recycles and cools the interior air until
the desired temperature is reached.
Outside air disrupts the cycle.
Shield the inside of your home from direct and indirect sunlight
during the time you are running the air conditioner. Close
windows, drapes, blinds and shutters for best efficiency.
Thermostat
Thermostats are calibrated to plus or minus 5° F.
When the thermostat registers a higher temperature setting than
the temperature setting you selected, your air conditioning will
come on automatically.
Setting the thermostat at a lower temperature will not cool your
home any faster.
If you turn down the air conditioning in an attempt to cool a home
faster, you will use more energy than necessary.
The cooling process only begins when you set the thermostat. For
example, if you come home at 6 p.m. on a day when the outside
temperature is 90° F and set your thermostat to 75° F, the air
conditioning process will begin, but it will take longer to cool the
house.
During the day, the furniture, walls and carpet have absorbed heat.
It is recommended that you set the thermostat at a moderate
temperature in the morning to achieve the most efficient evening
cooling.
Registers
The registers help regulate the flow of air throughout your home.
Adjust the registers for your family's comfort and lifestyle.
The registers and thermostat will work together to maintain the
desired temperature.
Do not let furniture, window coverings or other objects obstruct
register airflow including the return air vent.
Because cool air falls, aim airflow upward from the vents for best
cooling results.
Vacuum and dust registers and return air vents as needed to
maintain airflow.
Filter
Most air conditioning systems have an air filter to help keep your
home clean.
Refer to your manufacturer's instructions for the location of the
filter and how to clean it.
Compressor
The main operating unit (compressor) is usually located outside.
Keep vegetation from growing around or on the compressor.
During cooling season, periodically check the compressor's
housing to make sure that leaves or grass do not block the vents.
Keep the condensate line free of grass clippings and dirt to avoid
clogging.
Refer to the manufacturer's specific instructions on cleaning.
Coolant/Refrigerant
If your air conditioning system blows warm air, either the
compressor is not sufficiently charged or it may have a refrigerant
leak.
More Tips
Prior to warmer months, turn on the air conditioning system for a
trial run.
If the system won't start, try the following:
Set the thermostat to COOL and check the temperature setting.
Check the breakers at the electrical panel, one for the furnace
(blower) and one for the 220-volt unit (condenser). Make sure they
are both switched ON.
The front panel should be secure. If it is not tight, the safety switch
will not allow the fan to start.
The power switch beside the unit should be switched ON. The
switch looks like a regular light switch.
If the compressor does not run, turn the thermostat to OFF, then
back to ON. This will reset the overload protector and allow the
compressor to start after a time-off period. However, if the system
does not start after an hour, call the installing contractor.
If your furnace system has a humidifier, turn it off when using the
air conditioning.
If the humidifier is left on, the additional moisture may cause a
freeze up of the cooling system.
Change your air filter at least every month to ensure proper
circulation of air from your HVAC system.
Keep garage doors closed to prevent heat from escaping during
the winter months.
Ventilation
Ventilation systems include air circulation for your attic, crawl
spaces and vents to the outside.
This circulation is important as condensation may occur wherever
warm, moist air inside the house comes in contact with a colder
surface such as a window. If window condensation is excessive,
providing ventilation can reduce it.
Moisture is in the air in your home through cooking, bathing,
showering, laundering and humidifiers. The amount of moisture
varies substantially from household to household due to the
lifestyle of each owner. The difference in humidity depending on
your living habits and ventilation practices is not related to
construction factors.
Attic ventilation through the roof or siding is required by building
codes and cannot be omitted.
There are foundation vents in a crawl space that can be opened
and closed from the outside.
Keep these vents fully open all summer.
In extremely cold weather, you can close the vents but check your
furnace's burner flame to make sure it is still blue. If not, open the
vent to let some air in. Occasionally, driving rain or snow will
infiltrate the vents, causing spotting on the ceiling.
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