Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Month: April 2016

When you see ice forming on an air conditioning system, your first reaction may be to suppose that the system is just doing a very good job of cooling things down. In truth, though, this is not the case. Ice on your system is a sign that something is wrong, not that your system is cooling the air down too effectively. Should you notice ice on your refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil in your home, contact a member of our staff immediately. The sooner that any necessary air conditioning repairs are completed, the better off your system is going to be.

  • Refrigerant Leaks: We’ll get this one out of the way first and foremost, as it’s a bit of a worst case scenario. The refrigerant in your system must be at a certain level, or charge, if your system is going to successfully remove heat from the air in your home. If you do have ice forming on your system, it may be a sign that there is not enough refrigerant in it and that not enough heat is being absorbed by the system. Icing up is only going to compound the problem further, so you should have a trained technician come to pinpoint the source of your refrigerant leak, or to recharge it if it was not properly charged to begin with.
  • Dirty Coils: There are a lot of reasons why it’s so important that you schedule professional air conditioning maintenance on a regular basis. If you don’t, certain components, such as your evaporator coil, won’t be cleaned. The evaporator coil absorbs the heat that evaporates the refrigerant. If it is dirty, you’ll run into the same problems with heat absorption that are mentioned above.
  • Clogged Filters: Clogged filters can reduce airflow throughout the HVAC system. When this happens, your evaporator coil can ice up because there is just not enough hot air moving over it. Changing air filters is one of the best ways in which to keep your AC functioning properly.

Schedule your AC services in Loveland, CO with the experts at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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Are you serious about getting the best performance possible from your home cooling system? If so, it is of the utmost importance that you not only invest in a quality system, but also that you schedule routine air conditioning maintenance in Fort Collins, CO. Even this is not enough to guarantee the successful operation of an air conditioning system, though, as there is one more task that must be taken care of, and it is one that you must handle on your own. Changing your air filter may not sound like that big of a deal, but we assure you that failure to do so will negatively influence your home cooling experience.

Don’t My Maintenance Technicians Do That?

Yes, during your routine maintenance service your technicians will replace your air filter if need be. However, it is important to remember that you are only having your system tuned up annually, and that your air filter must be changed more than once a year. If your heating and cooling systems share an air handler, the filter may be changed twice a year, but that is still not enough. Some cheaper filters require changing every month, while most will probably require changing every 2–3 months. There are too many factors to consider for us to say with certainty how frequently your filter will have to be changed, but suffice to say that once or twice a year won’t do it.

If your air filter is not changed regularly, it can become clogged with pollutants. When this happens, you may find that your system is struggling to distribute cooled air throughout your home. This struggle will lead to increased energy costs, even as your system is declining in its overall performance quality. Your indoor air quality may suffer as well, and you risk allowing your evaporator coil to ice over, due to decreased airflow.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning with any questions that you may have regarding AC maintenance.

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The air in our part of the country is not particularly known for high humidity levels, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never find yourself dealing with excessively humid air in your residence. If you are at all concerned about the early warning signs of high humidity, which we’ll detail a bit below, just let a member of our team know. We install whole-house dehumidifiers in Fort Collins, CO, and we always do the job right. Don’t waste your time messing about with ineffective and inconvenient portable dehumidifiers in your home. Instead, schedule service with the pros on our staff, and ensure that the air in your home is sufficiently dry.

What Are the Signs of High Humidity?

Chances are that you’ve heard someone say, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” at some point. There is some truth in this saying, actually, though it’s a bit of an oversimplification. Very humid air does indeed retain heat very effectively, which can make you feel even more uncomfortable than you otherwise would. However, it also impedes the evaporation of sweat on your skin, which is your body’s natural cooling system. If your skin constantly feels sticky and hot, you may have too much humidity in the air in your home.

Not only will excess humidity leave you feeling less comfortable, but it can also lead to damage to your property. If you notice signs of wood rot in your home, if you see mold beginning to take root, or if the wooden floorboards are starting to warp, it could be because your home is just too humid within.

If you notice these warning signs in your household, contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning to inquire about the whole-house dehumidifiers available to you.

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When the heat of the summer season really gets underway, you want your air conditioner to function properly, and you want it to function reliably. If you encounter problems with your air conditioner of any kind, remember that it is always in your best interest to schedule prompt air conditioning repairs at the very first sign of trouble. One of the most problematic of the issues that you may encounter is that of short cycling. If your air conditioner in Windsor, CO is short cycling, be sure to contact a member of our team right away.

What Is Short Cycling?

Short cycling occurs when your air conditioner starts up, runs for a short while, and shuts back down before the cooling cycle is complete. This is detrimental for a few reasons. It puts a lot of excess wear and tear on the system, and it also eats up more energy than your AC should, meaning that you are actually paying more for a weaker performance from your system. It also means that your AC won’t dehumidify the air as much as it would during a full cooling cycle.

What Causes It?

There are a few situations in which you may encounter short cycling. It can occur if an air conditioner is too large for the home in which it is installed. Your system will cool your home too quickly, and the system will cycle off rapidly. Before long, the system will be forced back into service. Unfortunately, there is no repair that can “fix” an oversized system.

If the short cycling is a new development, though, it may be due to a failing run capacitor. The run capacitor helps to maintain a constant current in the AC motor(s). If it fails, then it is not going to be able to keep the system running dependably, and short cycling may develop.

Finally, you may just have a faulty thermostat on your hands. If this is the case, your thermostat may be registering cooler temperatures than it is actually experiencing.

Be sure to schedule your air conditioning repairs with the pros on the Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning team.

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Now that we’ve made it to April, many homeowners are anxiously anticipating the onset of the summer season. Of course, enjoying summer to its fullest demands that you are able to escape the clutches of its heat when you are ready to cool down. In order to do so, we recommend that you not only invest in a great air conditioning system, but that you also allow the pros on our staff to install and service that system.

Of course, even the best air conditioning systems on the market, and even when well-maintained, are going to encounter occasional operational problems. Scheduling prompt AC repairs in Wellington, CO is always in your best interest, so here are some signs of trouble to look out for.

  1. A decrease in your system’s cooling output is one of the most obvious signs that there is something wrong with your home cooling system. If you feel as though your system is struggling to cool your entire home effectively, or if it seems to be blowing lukewarm air, call our number right away. Refrigerant leaks, issues with blower fans, and other problems could be to blame.
  2. Ice on the system is another sign that your air conditioner is definitely in need of repair services. You may think that ice on an air conditioner is actually a good sign, proof that the system is cooling your home effectively. In truth, though, clogged air filters or low refrigerant levels may be leaving your system incapable of absorbing sufficient heat.
  3. Strange sounds emanating from your air conditioning system during operation are also cause for concern. No, your AC is not going to operate in a silent stealth mode. However, you shouldn’t really be hearing loud grinding, screeching, or booming sounds. If you do, it is in your best interest to allow a member of our staff to evaluate it for repairs ASAP.

Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning for great air conditioning repair services.

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