Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

July 2016

Your air conditioner is hopefully up and running reliably and effectively, considering how hot this summer season has been so far. If you are serious about cooling your home, you really need to know for certain that your air conditioner is not just running, but that it is actually running properly. If it is making strange, unfamiliar sounds, this is probably not the case.

Don’t worry, though. Just give the professional technicians on our staff a call the moment that you realize that your system is operating more noisily than usual. We can handle any AC repairs that you may need in Loveland, CO.

Hissing. Clicking. Banging.

We’ll mention hissing first, because it is probably the one sound that we’ll discuss that is the easiest to overlook. If your outdoor unit is hissing, after all, it may actually be drowned out by the normal operational sounds that your system is making. Should you hear hissing, though, remember that this could be the result of refrigerant leaking out of the system. That can cause serious operational problems, lead to inefficiency, and put your comfort in jeopardy. If you hear hissing in your home, it could be due to air leaking out of your ductwork.

Clicking may be the result of an electrical problem with your home cooling system. If your system is still up and running, you may be tempted to ignore some regular clicking. Because this can indicate problems like failing capacitors and faulty relays, though, you really cannot simply put it out of mind. When your system is clicking, you should be dialing—our number, that is.

Finally, there is the sound of banging to consider. This is probably the most difficult to ignore, and can really make a racket. There are a few reasons that your system may be clanging and banging, such as a bent fan blade striking a hard surface during its rotation. It could also mean that you’ve got a loose component in the system that is banging around, though.

Whatever the case, remember the company you can trust: Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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When most people think of the summer season, they think of hot, humid air. However, we actually run the risk of drying out the air in our homes excessively during the summer season. How can this be possible? The answer, which comes as a surprise to some, is simply by running our air conditioners in order to cool our homes.

If you’ve never considered that your AC could be dragging down the air quality within your home, you need to give the situation some attention. If you determine that the air in your home is too dry, using a whole-house humidifier in conjunction with your air conditioner may be necessary. Contact us to learn more about using such humidifiers in Fort Collins, CO.

How Does My AC Dry Out the Air?

Your air conditioner is not a dehumidifier and, if you have issues with excessive humidity, you cannot expect your air conditioner to resolve the problem. However, it is true that air conditioners have a dehumidifying effect on the air. As heat is drawn out of the air passing over the evaporator coil, moisture too is drawn out. This moisture collects on the coil as condensation, and is removed from the home via the condensate drain line. When you run your AC constantly throughout the summer, and the same air is cycled through the process again and again, it can dry out.

A Whole-House Humidifier May Be Necessary

Is wallpaper splitting and paint chipping in your home? Static electricity very high? Suffering frequent sore throats, or even bloody noses? Then the air in your home is likely way too dry, then. Using a whole-house humidifier is the best way in which to add the right amount of humidity, and not too much, back into the air. You can use the same system with your heater during the winter to keep the air humidified, as well.

Schedule your AC and IAQ services with the professionals at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re Big enough to serve, but small enough to care.

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Chances are that you don’t need us to point out just how hot the weather is at this point. It’s going to be a while yet before temperatures begin to cool off, so hopefully you have a reliable and effective air conditioning system in place. If you’ve come to realize that your system just won’t cut it for the rest of the season, or if your AC has broken down entirely, though, we are happy to handle your replacement services.

One option that we often urge homeowners to consider is the heat pump. There are many benefits that you can enjoy as a result of using a heat pump in Fort Collins, CO. Read on, and contact us with any questions that you may have. 

Why Choose a Heat Pump

Right now, the heat is on everyone’s mind. It’s pretty much impossible to ignore temperatures as hot as we’re experiencing right now. The good news is that you can effectively cool your home using a heat pump. In fact, heat pumps operate in much the same manner as more traditional split central air conditioners. Why, then, opt for this type of system? Because unlike a traditional split air conditioner, a heat pump can reverse its operation.

During the winter season, when temperatures plummet below comfortable levels, you can use a heat pump in order to draw heat out of the air outside. The warm refrigerant is then further compressed, and its thermal energy is used in order to heat the interior space of your home. This is an incredibly efficient way in which to heat your home, as the heat pump does not actually have to consume fuel to generate heat. Instead, the heat transfer process is utilized.

Schedule your HVAC services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning: Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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When the heat of summer is at its zenith, you really don’t want to face discomfort just because your air conditioning system has developed a problem of some kind. The fact of the matter, though, is that your AC, like any other mechanical system, is not 100% reliable. At some point, it is very likely that you are going to encounter an operational problem of some kind with your AC.

One situation that we encounter from time to time is a “water leak” in an air conditioner. That description is a bit misleading, however, as your air conditioner does not actually use water in its operation. That does not mean that you are imagining the problem, though. 

So Where Is the Water Coming From?

“Okay,” you may be wondering. “There is no water in my air conditioner, and it is not an appliance connected to the plumbing. So where is this water coming from?” The origin point of that water is actually the air itself.

You see, your air conditioner draws moisture out of the air as it cools it. This moisture collects on the evaporator coil as condensation. That condensation is removed from your home via a condensate drain pan and drain line. If that pan is misaligned or cracked, or the drain line is leaking, the water can wind up pooling around your indoor AC unit.

Another potential cause of your water issue is defrosting ice. While your air conditioner is obviously there to cool your home, it should not generate ice. Ice can develop on the evaporator coil, though, if you have a very dirty air filter that is restricting airflow over the coil, or if refrigerant levels are low due to a leak. When the ice melts, it can wind up spilling out of the system.

If you need any AC services in Fort Collins, CO, contact the pros here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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You’ve no doubt been running your air conditioner somewhat regularly at this point in time. Summer got off to a hot start, and it’s going to be a while before any sort of lasting relief sets in. If running your AC has come with the shock of very high energy costs, you may want to start thinking about ways in which to cool your home more efficiently and affordably. Following, you’ll find some examples of common reasons for an inefficient cooling experience. If you have any further questions, or you require any air conditioning services, remember that we are the company you can trust.

Poor Maintenance Practices

Let’s start off with one possibility that, if the root cause of your inefficiency issues, lands squarely on your shoulders. You must—must—schedule routine air conditioning maintenance services each and every year. If you fail to do so, there is just no way in which you can hope for your home cooling system to function as efficiently as possible, let alone reliably and successfully. The cumulative effects of a season’s worth of wear and tear will make it impossible for your system to excel in this manner.

Subpar Insulation

Do you feel hot spots throughout your home when you walk through it? If so, this could be indicative that you have subpar levels of insulation in those areas. It’s also possible that your insulation has deteriorated over time due to moisture damage, or that pests have compromised its integrity. Whatever the cause of the problem, having your insulation replaced or bulked up by a qualified party can help you to keep heat out of your home, and to keep your energy costs low.

Low SEER Rating

Finally, remember that your air conditioner may be operating just fine, but that it may not have a very high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating. If you’ve always struggled with high cooling costs, or if this is the first summer that you are using the existing AC system in a new-to-you home, check the SEER. Older systems may have a SEER of 6 or less, but the scale goes up to 25. Modern regulations mandate a minimum SEER of 13/14, depending upon location. You may want to upgrade on a newer, more efficient system now, and enjoy long-term savings as a result.

Let Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning install and services your air conditioner in Wellington, CO.

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