1.        DUCTWORK

2.        CONDENSING UNIT

3.        EVAPORATOR COIL

4.        HEATER/FURNACE

5.        SUPPLY REGISTER AND RETURN AIR GRILLS

6.        ATTIC INSULATION & VENTILATION

Also ask for a Mechanical inspection of your system, including but not limited to: 

ü        CHECK REFRIGERANT LEVELS TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS USING SUPERHEAT

 OR SUB-COOLING

ü        CHECK AMPERAGE DRAW PER UNIT DATA PLATE FOR COMPRESSOR

ü        CHECK AMPERAGE DRAW PER UNIT DATA PLATE FOR CONDENSER FAN MOTOR

ü        CHECK AMPERAGE DRAW PER UNIT DATA PLATE FOR INDOOR BLOWER MOTOR

ü        CHECK AND CLEAR DRAIN LINES

ü        CHECK ALL ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

ü        CHECK AND FUNCTION ALL CONTROLS AND SAFETIES

ü        CHECK CONDITION OF HEAT EXCHANGER

ü        CHECK CONDITION OF EVAPORATOR COIL

ü        CHECK CONDITION OF CONDENSING COIL (WATER WASH IF NECESSARY)

ü        VISUALLY INSPECT ALL VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE SUPPLY DUCTWORK

ü        VISUALLY INSPECT RETURN AIR DUCTWORK AND CHASE

Finally,

?          CHECK SUPPLY DUCTWORK FOR AIR LEAKS

?          CHECK TOTAL SYSTEM STATIC PRESSURE

?          CHECK FOR LEAKAGE AROUND ALL ACCESSIBLE SUPPLY REGISTERS

?          DETERMINE SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING AIR FLOW CAPACITY

?          DETERMINE SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING BTU CAPACITY

?          DETERMINE SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING EFFICIENCY RATING

Get a written evaluation of your system. Get a written proposal of any suggested work to be done and always get a second opinion.

A clean furnace is an efficient furnace. If you’re looking to save money on energy bills, you should start by having your furnace checked and cleaned. While this isn’t the cheapest way to save on home heating costs, it is one of the most effective. Do not contact the cheapest contractor to service your unit – do your homework and find one that will perform a quality service. A furnace needs a tune up just as an Air Conditioner does. A poorly tuned furnace will use more fuel and burn dirty producing more potentially dangerous exhaust gases. Furnaces and heat exchangers wear out regardless of brand or grade level. The main reason for failure is an improper install and lack of periodic maintenance.

2. Change Your Air Filter

For less than $20 you can change the air filter on your furnace. A dirty air filter will block the airflow from your furnace and can actually decrease the furnace’s life expectancy. There are a myriad of filters available on the market today ranging from the older style that you can see through to very high efficiency pleated filters. Installing a filter that is too efficient for your system can be as detrimental to your furnaces efficiency and the units life expectancy. Permanent washable filters are almost always a very bad option as even new they can reduce airflow by 50% of a standard filter. Depending on your geographic location and climate your HVAC system needs 300 CFM (cubic feet per minute) to 500 CFM’s of airflow through the system. Generally speaking an HVAC system with just one return air grill has insufficient airflow. A good rule of thumb formula to determine available airflow is length X width of grill X 2 = CFM (20X25=500X2=1000 CFM). If your total CFM of return air grill is less than 400 CFM per ton use less efficient filters.

3. Use Your Ceiling Fans

This advice may sound counter-intuitive, but you should actually use your ceiling fans during the winter. A ceiling fan set in reverse can draw warm air through your home, helping to keep it warm.

4. Keep Shades Up and Blinds Open

Take advantage of natural daylight and solar heat through your windows. Rather than having light bulbs running all day, keep your shades and blinds open and you’ll be able to make use of the natural sunlight and the warmth that naturally comes from the sun.

5. Install and Use a Programmable Thermostat

If you talk to any heating and cooling specialist, they will tell you that one of the best things to do in order to save money on your energy bills is to install a programmable thermostat. You’ll be able to program the thermostat to reduce the heat in your home when you’re away and when you’re asleep. Check with your HVAC contractor – there maybe thermostats designed just for the specific equipment in your home that has special functions to improve system comfort and efficiency.

6. Seal Leaks

If you have air leaks in your home, seal them up with caulk or weather strips. Drafts can add significantly to your home heating costs during the winter, so make sure that you locate and seal off any drafts in your home. Most importantly do not overlook your HAVC ducting. There have been numerous studies that show that the average residential duct system leaks 15% to 20% of the conditioned air you paid for.

Ductwork is composed of two parts, supply and return. Supply duct is attached to the outflow of the new system, delivering air to each zone in a home. The amount of air reaching each zone is determined by the size of supply ductwork connecting it to your system. Your dealer will help you determine the size of all the supply ductwork in your home.

The second part of the ductwork, the return duct, attaches to the inlet of the new system and draws air out of the spaces to be heated or cooled. Attached to the return duct is the filter. The filter should be placed as near to the furnace or air handler as possible. Ductwork can be either fiberglass or metal and must be properly sized in order to evenly distribute the proper amount of air to each room.

An HVAC system should:

1. Be properly sized to provide correct air flow, and meet room-by-room calculated heating and cooling loads.
2. Be installed so that the static air pressure drop across the handler is within manufacturer and design specifications to have the capacity to meet the calculated loads.
3. Have sealed supply ductwork that will provide proper air flow.
4. Be installed with a return system sized to provide correct return air flow.
5. Have sealed return ductwork that will provide proper air flow to the fan, and avoid air entering the HVAC system from polluted zones (e.g., fumes from autos and stored chemicals, and attic particulates).
6. Have balanced air flows between supply and return systems to maintain neutral pressure in the home.
7. Minimize duct air temperature gain or loss between the air handler and room registers, and between return registers and the air handler.
8. Be properly charged with refrigerant.
9. Have proper burner operation and proper draft.