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Periodic maintenance following the manufacturer's instructions will ensure safe and reliable operation of the garage door and power opener.

Don't allow anyone near the door when it is in motion. Keep hands and fingers away from all parts of the door except the handle. Don't allow children to play with or around the door. Every six months apply silicone or a similar lubricant to all moving parts: tracks, rollers, hinges, pulleys, and springs. At the same time, check that all hardware is tight and operating without binding or scraping. Read opener instructions for maintenance instructions.

After the expiration of the One-Year Warranty, have any adjustments made by a qualified specialist. The door springs are under considerable tension. They require special tools and knowledge for accurate and safe servicing. Have a professional garage door technician inspect the door after any significant impact to the door.

We recommend that you read the manufacturer’s literature provided in the Homeowner’s Manual. This will tell you how often to change the filter and have the unit serviced. These maintenance items are necessary to keep the warranty in effect. Make a trial run early in the fall to test the furnace. The same applies to A/C in the spring. It's better to discover you need service before the heating season gets underway.

HEATING

Maintenance of the furnace saves energy dollars. It also prolongs the life of the furnace. Carefully read and follow the manufacturer's literature on use and care. The guidelines below apply to all furnaces.

• Inspect the filter at least every month. Change or clean as needed during times of constant operation. A clogged filter slows airflow and causes cold spots in your home. Not cleaning or changing the filter results in damage to the furnace and increased energy costs. It takes less than five minutes to change the filter. We have located the filter in the cold air return for easy access.
• Experiment with the registers in each room to establish the best heat flow for your lifestyle. This is an individual matter. Balance the system to meet your family's comfort.
• For maximum comfort and efficient energy use, do not allow furniture and draperies to block airflow from registers and return air grills. Registers are removable and adjustable. You are responsible for adjusting the registers to regulate the heat flow. Rooms further away from the furnace may need to have registers opened more.
• If you have no heat, follow this checklist to identify the cause. Review the manufacturer's literature for additional hints. These are normal Homeowner Maintenance items. If your heating contractor makes a service call for one of the items listed, they will charge you:

Thermostat temperature setting & switches
The ON/OFF switch in the furnace room
The fuse, if your furnace has one
ON/OFF switch on furnace - see manufacturer's book for location
Breaker on the electrical panel
Safety switch for the fan cover

If none of these items fix the problem, call your heating contractor.

• Temperatures will vary from room to room or between first and second floors. This is the result of wind direction, sunlight, landscaping, exposed windows, and other factors.
• The furnace will run more frequently, but for shorter periods of time during severe cold spells.
• A new heating system will emit a slight amount of smoke when you first turn it on. You may notice an odor after an extended period of non-use (such as after the summer months if you do not use air conditioning). Dust that has settles in the ducts causes this. It should pass very quickly; but it may activate the smoke detector.
• The furnace and water heater have an outside air duct to supply fresh air for combustion. The supply of fresh air is vital to the safe and efficient operation of both items. Do not block it in any way.

AIR CONDITIONING

An air conditioning system, whether an independent unit or included as part of a central system, will provide you with a year-round comfort if you follow the simple maintenance steps listed in the manufacturer's literature.

THERMOSTATS (usually located in the hallway)

Thermostats help keep an even temperature throughout your home. Normal setting for heat is 68'F degrees and cooling is 78'F degrees. For heating, set the setback thermostat to 60'F when no one is home. For cooling, set it to 80'F, or more, when no one is home.

The thermostat in your house will have a temperature selector and two switches marked HEAT-

OFF- COOL and FAN-ON-FAN-AUTO. Set the thermostat to the desired setting, the operation switch to COOL, and the fan switch to FAN AUTO. When the temperature goes above the setting, a thermostat sensor starts the unit and turns on the fan automatically. When it reaches the desired temperature, it will automatically shut off the unit and the fan.

To conserve energy and to make your air conditioner more efficient, keep the windows and doors tightly closed. If you have windows that are in direct sunlight, draw the drapes. Be sure to keep the air intake of the outdoor unit free of leaves, grass, paper or anything that might clog the unit and impede the flow of air through it.

FILTERS

Your central air conditioning & heating system has a filter. Check the filter monthly and replace when it is visibly dirty (replace the filter at least every three months). Clogged filters cause your unit to malfunction and increase the cost of your utility bill.

REGISTERS

You are responsible for balancing dampers, registers and other minor adjustments. The registers in your home help to direct the flow of air and to keep the desired temperature. By opening and closing the registers and dampers, you can determine the amount of cool or warm air that enters a room. Once you adjust the registers and dampers, they, together with the thermostat, will regulate the temperature in your home. Reduce your heating and cooling costs by closing the registers and doors to rooms not being used. In addition to the air outlets, your home will have an air intake (return) register. Do not obstruct the air intake or any other registers.

Troubleshooting Tip

If the system doesn't cool:

• Make sure the thermostat setting is for a temperature below the room temperature.
• Make sure the selector setting is on COOL.
• Make sure you haven't tripped a circuit breaker.
• Make sure the filters are clean.

SPECIAL CAUTION - If your air conditioning system should stop due to a power failure or an overloaded circuit, exercise extreme caution. Do not recycle or reset the unit for at least 20 minutes. This gives the system time to decompress.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

The design of your central air conditioning, as well as your heating system, meets the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards. These guidelines are the minimum and the maximum standards allowable by the State of California as well as the local building departments.

NOISE

You can expect a certain amount of noise from the system. This is due to air movement, expansion and contraction of metal ducts, the fan motor, and clicking when the system turns on and off.

How To Best Use Your Air Conditioner

Air conditioning can add much to the comfort of your home. But, like the fireplace, you must use it properly and efficiently. This will save wasted energy and frustration. These hints and suggestions help you maximize your air conditioning system.

Your air conditioning system is a total, whole-house system. The air conditioner unit produces cooler air. The air conditioning system involves everything inside your home, including, for example, drapes and windows. Your home air conditioning is a closed system. This means that the air in your home continually recycles and cools until it reaches the desired air temperature. Warm outside air disrupts the system and makes cooling impossible. Therefore, you must keep all windows closed. The heat from the sun shining through open drapes will defeat the cooling effect of the air conditioning unit. Close the drapes to keep out the sun.

It takes time for your air conditioning system to work. It's not a light bulb that turns on instantly. The air conditioning process starts when you set the thermostat. Let's say you come home at 5:30 P.M. on a 90-degree day. You set your thermostat to 75 degrees. The air conditioning unit begins cooling, but it will take a long time to reach the desired temperature. This is because during the day the sun was heating not only the air in the house, but the walls, carpet, and furniture. At 5:30 P.M. the air conditioning unit starts cooling the air, but the walls, carpet, and furniture release heat and nullify this cooling. By the time the air conditioning unit cools the walls, carpet, and furniture, you may well have lost patience. For a cool home in the evening, set the air conditioning unit at a moderate temperature in the morning while the house is cooler. This will keep your home cooler through the day. Then set temperature slightly lower when you arrive home. This will give the best results. Setting the thermostat at 60 degrees will NOT cool the home any faster. It can result in the unit "freezing up" and not performing at all. Extended use under these conditions can damage the unit.

DO NOT turn the air conditioning off and then turn it back on a short time later. This causes an overload of the compressor motor that then trips the breaker or blows the fuse. This will shorten the life expectancy of the unit.

Keep the compressor in a level position at its original location. Do not enclose the compressor. Keep the area around the compressor clear of landscaping and debris. Good airflow must be available or the system will not work properly. This will damage the compressor.

If the air conditioner is not working, check the same items as for the heating system. Also check the 220 switch and/or fuse prior to requesting service. Refer to manufacturer’s manual for additional hints.

Lack of air conditioning service is not an emergency unless medical condition warrants. The air conditioning contractor handles problems in the order received.