Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Month: August 2016

When your air conditioner is not cooling your home as effectively as it once did, or if it is costing more to run than it used to, you may start to sweat—and not just because it’s still so hot out. You may just be getting nervous about the prospect of costly AC repair needs. Before you go exploring all of the worst case scenarios out there, though, you should keep in mind the fact that it may just be a problem with your thermostat.

Now, your thermostat is an integral player in your HVAC system, and we don’t mean to downplay its importance. The fact is, though, that dealing with a malfunctioning or even just an out-of-date thermostat is preferable to, say a failing condenser unit. Whatever the case may be, give us a call to schedule great thermostat services in Laporte, CO.

Misreadings, Misplacement, and Misuse

If your AC is really failing to cool your home effectively, it’s very possible that your thermostat is misreading the temperature in your home. This is obviously a serious problem, and one that you need to have resolved as soon as you can. It may be possible to re-calibrate or repair the thermostat to get the system as a whole back on track.

It could also be as simple as having your thermostat in the wrong place in your home. Is your thermostat mounted near a window or door? An outward facing wall? If so, then it may be reading temperatures accurately, but not the temperature that is representative of conditions throughout the home.

Finally, you may just not have the right thermostat for your needs. Upgrading to a programmable model eliminates the temptation of fiddling about with a manual thermostat all of the time. This can help your system to operate not only more effectively, but more affordably as well.

Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today. We’re big enough to serve, but small enough to care.

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You are undoubtedly still running your air conditioner in Wellington, CO. We are not out of the woods yet as far as hot weather goes. Before long, though, you’ll find that you don’t need your AC quite as much, and soon enough you’ll actually be firing up the heater! Regardless of which system is in use, though, it’s important that it is functioning properly.

There are a few problems that can negatively affect both your heating and your air conditioning systems. Short cycling is one such problem. If your air conditioner—or heater, for that matter—is running in short bursts, be sure to contact us right away.

 

What Causes Short Cycling?

With an air conditioning system, refrigerant leaks are a common cause of short cycling. The system will struggle to remove a sufficient amount of heat from the air, and the compressor can overheat and the system will shut down prematurely. The system may also just be too big for your home, cooling it too quickly. A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, leading to icing on the evaporator coil and overheating, or you may just have a faulty thermostat that is registering temperatures wrong.

If your heater is short cycling, you may have a malfunctioning sensor or thermostat. You could also have an issue with the burner assembly in a combustion system, triggering your thermocouple to stem the flow of gas. Having the issue promptly resolved ensures not only that your system will function reliably, but safely.

Short Cycling Can Cause Damage

Your HVAC systems are going to suffer a lot of unnecessary wear and tear if they are starting up and stopping constantly. This can lead to an increased risk of repair needs, or even a shortened lifespan. You may also wind up paying more for less comfort, as your system will use more energy by starting up over and over.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, the company you can trust. 

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It does get pretty cold here in the winter, you may be thinking, but it’s not like we’re dealing with subzero temperatures on a regular basis; I’m sure my heater is ready for action.

Something along those lines is the type of logic that leaves homeowners with broken down heating systems, just as they need them the most. No, we may not have the most extreme winter weather in this part of the country. To think that means that you don’t need annual heating maintenance in Windsor, CO, though, is to buy into a serious misconception.

 

Routine Maintenance Protects Your Budget, Your Comfort, and Your Safety

If you never took your car in for an oil change or to have the “check engine” alert assessed, you probably wouldn’t expect your car to hang in there too long, would you? Sure, you may save a bit of money up front, but the fact of the matter is that your car is going to start running poorly, using more gas to get you where you’re going, and will likely require costly repairs before long. This is just what you can expect of a poorly maintained heater, as well. Your heating system is only going to function as efficiently as possible when it is in outstanding working condition, and that is only possible when you have it tuned up regularly.

Keep in mind, too, that just because your heater is up and running does not mean that it is going to function at peak performance levels. You may find your system is shutting down before reaching target temperatures, or that there are cold spots throughout your home. Not only does routine heating maintenance keep your system efficient, it also keeps it working precisely as it ought to, helping you to live more comfortably.

Finally, keep your safety in mind. Maintenance is not all about ensuring that your heater is using fuel efficiently. It’s also about ensuring that it does so safely. You don’t want to risk a dangerous operation just because you had a lax attitude regarding maintenance.

For great heating services, call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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No air conditioner is going to last forever. It is generally in your best interest to replace your air conditioning system before that system breaks down entirely, as this allows you to plan on when the work will be completed. After all, your ailing system is most likely to break down during the hottest time of the year, when it is working the hardest.

If your air conditioner has been struggling this summer, or if you are ready to replace it with a new system for efficiency and/or reliability’s sake, consider doing so with a ductless mini split system. Ductless mini splits have a lot to offer homeowners, and are only growing more popular. Read on and let us know if you are thinking about going ductless.

 

Efficiency, Versatility, And Comfort Are the Keys

Those 3 words can help you to understand the framework of just how a ductless mini split system in Loveland, CO can benefit you. One of the most common causes of subpar energy efficiency is energy loss via duct leaks. While this energy won’t be wasted entirely, as the conditioned air will wind up somewhere within your home, it does make it difficult for your AC to cool your living space evenly and effectively. As such, it will have to work harder than it should in order to do so.

The energy savings don’t stop with the elimination of ductwork from the home cooling equation, though. Because ductless mini splits use heat pump technology, you can actually use the very same system to heat your home than you do to cool it. The system will use existing heat from the air outside in the process, which allows you to heat your home with great energy efficiency.

Plus, you can live more comfortably even as you scale back on energy use. This is due to the fact that the multiple blowers are all controlled with independent thermostats. You can easily maintain different temperatures in different areas of your home, allowing you to both heat and cool your home more thoughtfully.

Schedule your ductless mini split services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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A zone control system is a great way in which to get a more efficient performance out of your air conditioning system. We know that you want to cool your home effectively, but you don’t want to drain your budget in doing so. When you choose to use a zone control system, you won’t have to.

Just remember that a zone control system is only going to function properly if you schedule your zone control system services in Fort Collins, CO with trained, experienced professionals. Simply call our number to do so.

How Does It Work? What Benefits Can I Enjoy?

A zone control system breaks your home up into different temperature zones. Installed into each of these zones is a thermostat that is controlled independently of the others in the house. These thermostats are wired into a central control panel. Electronic dampers are also installed into your ductwork, and these too are tied into the control panel. As you adjust the temperature in any single zone in your home, the corresponding dampers will adjust as well, allowing more or less conditioned air into those zones.

Typically, if you use a whole-house central air conditioner, you’ll be cooling the entire house to just one temperature. Because a zone control system allows you to maintain different temperatures throughout your home, you can cool those areas that are not in use less than you would those areas that are constantly in use. Doing so means that you can live comfortably without wasting energy in areas that don’t need it.

Plus, you should keep in mind that not everyone is going to be comfortable at the same temperature. Unless you live alone, you’ve no doubt heard some level of conflict regarding temperature settings in the house. By taking greater control over the way you heat and cool your home, you can ensure that everyone is living comfortably, not just a select few.

Schedule service with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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As modern homeowners, we obviously expect to live in a certain amount of comfort. This means that we must be able to successfully cool our homes with our air conditioners during the summer season. There are few experiences more alarming on a hot summer day than flipping on the AC, only to realize that it is blowing warm air. There are a number of potential reasons as to why this may be the case, and they vary in severity. Whatever the issue may be, though, you can count on our team to complete any necessary air conditioning repairs in Timnath, CO.

  • Low refrigerant levels may be the cause of the problem, and if this is the case you can expect more problems to develop over time. Your air conditioner removes heat from the air in your home to cool it. Refrigerant acts as the heat transfer liquid, and it must evaporate in the evaporator coil in order to draw heat out of the air. If you don’t have enough refrigerant in your system due to leaks or an improper charge, your system will struggle to cool your home effectively.
  • Leaky ducts are another potential cause of the problem. It could be that your air conditioner is actually cooling air just fine, but that hot air is getting into your ductwork through bad seals or tears. Having your air ducts repaired or professionally sealed can resolve the problem.
  • Improper settings can also be the root cause of your problem, and this is by far the best-case-scenario. Before you call our number to schedule AC repairs, do yourself a favor and double check the thermostat. You may have inadvertently put the system in a “fan only” mode, so it is not blowing the cool air you need.

Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning with all of your AC service needs.

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You want to keep your home cool and comfortable, but you also don’t want to drain your budget when cooling your home with your air conditioning system. While replacing your entire air conditioner in Laporte, CO with a more efficient system may seem like your only option, it most certainly is not. Read on to learn more about how you can boost energy efficiency in order to cool your home more affordably this summer season.

  • Insulate your home properly. Investing in additional insulation for weak spots in your home will pay back month after month throughout the year. Insulation works both ways, keeping heat in during the winter and out during the summer. That means that you can enjoy year round energy savings.
  • Recover energy that you’ve already paid for and used with an energy recovery ventilator. An ERV also works year-round, allowing you to ventilate your home sufficiently without wasting the energy that you’ve used to heat or cool your home.
  • Consider the use of a zone control system. A zone control system allows you to distribute conditioned air throughout your home in a more planned way. No longer will you need to cool your entire house to one set temperature throughout.
  • Don’t forget about your ceiling fans. While it is true that these fans don’t actively cool the air in your home, as your air conditioner does, they can help to distribute cooled air throughout your home more effectively, taking some strain off of your air conditioning system.
  • Upgrade your thermostat. If you are using an old manual thermostat, there is no way that you are regulating the operation of your AC as successfully as possible. Opting for programmability, or even smart technology, can make a huge difference.

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

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