Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Month: June 2016

There are a number of different problems that you may encounter with the air conditioning system that you rely upon in order to keep your home cool and comfortable. Investing in a good system from a trusted manufacturer and scheduling routine air conditioning maintenance will help you to keep the risk of repair needs to a minimum. Ultimately, though, there is no way in which you can hope for any air conditioner to operate 100% reliably. One of the most distressing of all problems that you may encounter with your air conditioning system is a leaking coil. You will learn a bit about how to spot a leaking coil, and what that may mean for your system, below.

 

Evaporator and Condenser Coils

There are two coils that perform integral functions in your air conditioning system. These are the evaporator coil, which is located within your home in the air handler unit, and the condenser coil, located in the outdoor condenser unit. Either of these coils may develop leaks, though the state of refrigerant in the evaporator coil makes this the more common point of problems. It is the evaporator coil in which refrigerant evaporates, absorbing heat from the air passing over it in order to cool it down. The refrigerant is condensed back to a liquid form at the condenser coil outside, as heat is dispersed into the air.

Refrigerant leaks may develop at any point in the system through which the refrigerant passes. This problem may develop for any number of reasons, including manufacturing flaws, poor welding, and accidental damage to the coils. Whatever the cause of the problem, it can be very costly to replace the coil. That being said, a good technician may be able to seal the refrigerant leak for you. Pinpointing the source of the leak may be time-consuming, but it may also save you a substantial amount of money compared to the cost of investing in a replacement coil.

If you see ice on your indoor air conditioning coil, or if your system is struggling to cool your home effectively, you may have a leak in a coil. You cannot afford to ignore this problem. Unresolved refrigerant leaks can lead to serious damages, or even the complete and irreversible failure of your air conditioner.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning if you have any reason to suspect a leak anywhere in your AC. We serve Loveland, CO.

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Do you use a tank water heater in order to heat water for use throughout your home? If so, you have an anode rod in that water storage tank, and it serves a vital purpose in there. You may not know the component by name, but it is important that you familiarize yourself with it and its operation. After all, your anode rod is going to have to be replaced eventually, and you need to keep its condition in mind. Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, read the following post to learn more about what your anode rod does for your water heater in Windsor, CO.

Preventing Rust Via Self Sacrifice

Not to make an inanimate object sound too heroic, but there is good reason as to why anode rods are often called “sacrificial anodes.” You see, anode rods are composed of either aluminum or magnesium, generally. These materials actually serve to attract the corrosive elements in the water within the hot water tank that your water heater uses. Why would they do this?

As you probably know, steel will rust if exposed to water and oxygen for a period of time. For many reasons, most modern hot water storage tanks are made of steel. As a first defense against rusting, they are lined with glass. Over time and due to high temperature exposure, that glass will likely crack. The anode rod is the next line of defense.

By sacrificing itself for the good of the steel tank, the anode rod is able to protect your water heater as it allows itself to rust and corrode away. Eventually, that rod will need to be replaced, as it will continue to corrode until there is pretty much nothing left. We are happy to ensure the proper operation of every component in your water heater.

Schedule service with the professionals here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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When you think of keeping your home comfortable and everyone within that space happy throughout the summer season, your mind probably instantly jumps to your air conditioning system. During the hottest time of the year, your air conditioner is going to put in a lot of work in order to keep your house cool, after all. However, you really cannot afford to overlook the importance of your indoor air quality during the summer months, either. Too often, homeowners sacrifice the indoor air quality in the name of efficient cooling. This need not be the case, however, so long as you use an energy recovery ventilator.

What Does an ERV Do, and Why Should I Invest in One?

An ERV, or energy recovery ventilator, is your means by which to bridge the gap between great comfort and great indoor air quality, without draining your budget in the process. The moniker “energy recovery ventilator” is as about as descriptive as possible. An ERV is a ventilator that, through an energy recovery process, helps you to cut down on energy loss during the ventilation process.

When temperatures soar outside, you seal up your home and run your air conditioner. The issue with doing so is that your home really should have some natural ventilation going on. This helps to prevent the AC from drying out the air too much, and just keeps the air in your home fresher. With our modern focus on efficiency, though, we eliminate as much of this ventilation as possible.

An energy recovery ventilator solves the problem. It will vent old, stale air out of your home. This air is cool, and you’ve paid to cool it, though. That is why the ERV will use that cool air to absorb some of the heat of the incoming air, recovering the energy that you paid for to cool the air. In fact, it can do the opposite in the winter, as well, bringing in fresh, cold air and pre-warming it with warm, but stale, outgoing air. ERVs can also balance humidity in the passing streams, further protecting your comfort and indoor air quality.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule ERV services in Timnath, CO.

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When you are going about your spring cleaning projects, you probably don’t give the conditions inside your ductwork all that much thought. If you really want to get the most from your air conditioning system this summer, though, we strongly recommend that you take the time to call our number and schedule professional duct cleaning in Fort Collins, CO. When your air ducts are dirty within, there is no way in which you can expect your AC system to truly excel, or to enjoy the type of environment that you deserve in your home. Consider the following, and let us know if you have any concerns about your air ducts.

How Does Dirty Ductwork Affect My AC and My Environment?

All of the air that is cooled by your air conditioning system is distributed throughout your home via your air ducts. That means that the air you pay to cool can pick up pollutants as it travels throughout this system if your air ducts are not clean. When that happens at a point beyond your air filter, those pollutants can simply be pumped into your home, dragging down your indoor air quality. When that happens, any allergy and asthma symptoms are going to flare up, and your comfort is going to suffer.

Additionally, you should keep in mind the fact that these pollutants can build up on sensitive components in your HVAC system, such as your evaporator. This can impede the cooling process, and also cause your air conditioner to perform at reduced energy efficiency levels. We believe that you deserve better than to overpay for an underwhelming performance from your AC. That is why we recommend giving us a call to schedule professional duct cleaning today.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule top notch indoor air quality services.

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You’ve heard it said time and time again. You must schedule routine air conditioning maintenance. Routine air conditioning maintenance is the best way in which to keep your system up and running at peak performance and efficiency levels. Schedule AC maintenance every single year.

What you may be wondering, though, is precisely what goes on during an air conditioning tune-up that makes it such an indispensable service. We are happy to enlighten you a bit. Read on to learn a bit more about the specifics of air conditioning maintenance, and remember to call our number if you want to ensure that you receive the very best that your AC has to offer.

Cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils is an important part of the air conditioning maintenance process. If your coils are caked with dirt and grime, the absorption and dispersing of heat is going to be impeded.

Checking thermostat settings is another important task that will be completed during routine maintenance, along with the general evaluation of the thermostat itself. Your thermostat allows you to regulate the operation of your system, so you need to know that it is functioning properly.

Checking refrigerant levels ensures that you do not have a refrigerant leak in your system. Your air conditioner requires a certain amount of refrigerant to operate properly, so even small refrigerant leaks can cause serious trouble.

Inspecting and cleaning the condensate drain line/pan is also very important. Your AC removes humidity from the air in your home, and has to be able to divert that condensation from your living space.

Blower components must be cleaned and adjusted to ensure that distribution of conditioned air throughout your home.

Lubricating moving parts helps to ensure that there is not excessive friction in the system. This can minimize the risk of damage, and also helps to protect efficiency levels.

Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning for outstanding AC maintenance in Fort Collins, CO.

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