Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Month: March 2017

Your furnace has put in a lot of work hours over the past Furnace Repairs Windsor COfew months. We are sure that you’d love to give it a rest at this point, but your furnace is not quite out of the woods yet. March weather so far this year has proven as unpredictable as ever, with daytime temperatures rising from the 50s one day to up near 80° a day or two later, only then to fall back into the 30s at night. Spring may be here and summer in sight, but you’re going to need your heater for a while longer.

This is why you must not become complacent about your heater’s performance, even this late in the season. We understand you may be tempted to wait on repairs, considering we’re nearing the end of the season. Doing so puts your comfort, your system, and your budget at risk, however. You still need prompt furnace repairs in Windsor, CO.

Why Can’t Repairs Wait? We’re Almost There!

There are a few different reasons why we strongly recommend end of season furnace repairs. Most important is that fixing any problems with your furnace as they develop is always going to be for the best. We are happy to get a bit more specific, though.

Why Pay More, If Only for a Short Time?

Just because your heater is up and running does not mean that it is operating properly, and any warning signs of trouble are also often warning signs of inefficiency. If your system is short cycling, emitting strange sounds, or blowing cool air, the chances are high that it is costing you more than it should to heat your home. That’s just the way operational issues work. You may not be using it too much longer, but are you really happy overpaying while you are?

Why Run the Risk?

Are you feeling lucky? If so, then you may want to test your luck some other way. Even problems that strike you as being rather “minor” can have serious consequences for your furnace. You may think that you’re saving yourself some hassle by putting your repair needs off, but you may think again when you discover your furnace has not only broken down, but it has done so before your use for it is up! Don’t let repair needs slip by, only to put you in an uncomfortable, or worse, dangerous, situation.

Get Ahead for Next Year

The last thing that you want to think about right now is the start of the next heating season. We understand that. Think about it this way, though: if your heater needs repairs, and you put them off until next season, what are you going to do if the cold weather arrives sooner than expected? You’ll have to push your luck even further trying to heat your home with a system that was ailing months ago while you waited to have the issues resolved.

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

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 Sump Pump

Asking if you need a sump pump is sort of like asking if you need airbags in your car. You’ve got seatbelts, after all, and it’s not like the car isn’t going to run if you don’t have airbags in place. Does that mean that you don’t need them, though? Of course not, because the airbags in your car are still integral to ensuring your safety should you wind up in an accident.

So, let’s rephrase the question. Is the sump pump integral to the operation of your home or the overall performance of your plumbing in Windsor, CO? No, not exactly. Is the sump pump an essential piece of the puzzle that is going to help you to protect your home and property in certain situations that would otherwise leave you very vulnerable? You better believe it. If you ask us, this is one case where it is definitely advisable to play it safe. 

What Can a Sump Pump Do for Me?

Keep water from flooding the lowest level of your home. It really is that simple. Whether due to heavy rains, rapid snowmelt, a plumbing pipe rupturing, or any other situation in which flooding can occur, your sump pump is going to be your first line of defense against damage. You can’t just keep a stack of towels around or hope that you can get the wet vac out in time in the event of flooding. With a sump pump, you are protected 24/7. And you don’t even have to do anything!

How It Works

A sump pump needs a sump pit. They go hand in hand. If you don’t have one in your home already, you’ll need one excavated. The pit should be situated where water is naturally going to flow in the event of flooding.

The sump pump will either be submerged in the water within that pit (it shouldn’t be dry) or it can sit on top of a pedestal. There are pros and cons to both types of sump pumps. Submersible pumps are preferred, because they can be cooled by the water itself and the water also helps to dampen operational noise. However, they take up more space. If you need a narrower pit, then a pedestal pump may be used. These are noisier, but they are easier to access for maintenance.

When Water Levels Rise, The Pump Starts Pumping

The sump pump is an important device, but its one job is not complicated. Neither is its operation. When the water level rises above a certain point in the sump pit, your pump activates. It works with a simple float switch. The pump continues to run until the water level falls back below that point, diverting water out of the house and away from your property. That’s all there really is to it. To test your sump pump, dump a few buckets of water into the pit. If it’s working properly, it will kick on as the water level rises.

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

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In our previous post, we talked about the different types of air cleaners and air purifiers that you may benefit from using this spring, as allergens spike once more. Today, we want to talk about another source of subpar air quality, as well as general discomfort and considerable inefficiency. We want to talk about leaky ductwork.

If you use a forced-air air conditioning system, as most homeowners do, then you use air ducts in order to distribute cooled air throughout your home during the hottest time of the year. There is nothing wrong with doing this, obviously. The issue is that many homeowners fail to recognize that their air ducts are actually not in good working condition.

Why Is Leaky Ductwork a Problem?

Leaky ductwork allows air to escape out of your air ducts. This conditioned air will wind up in your home somewhere, so it is not going to be a total loss. However, it will not necessarily wind up where it is needed, and that can lead to higher energy costs as your AC tries to balance temperatures throughout your home. Plus, you are going to run into other issues like hot spots throughout the house, as well as reduced air quality.

Air May Leak Out, But Allergens May Also Get In

With regards to indoor air quality, leaky ductwork is actually a major issue. Once pollutants have made their way into your air ducts, after all, that system of ductwork can then distribute those pollutants throughout your entire home. This can lead to serious issues with aggravated allergy and asthma symptoms.

What Can You Do?

Give us a call, of course! We offer air duct testing services that will allow us to determine if you do indeed have leaky ductwork in your home. If so, we can go about completing effective duct sealing in Loveland, CO. Contact us today with any questions that you may have.

Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning is here for your IAQ service needs. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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We’re not quite out of the woods yet as far DandelionInFieldas colder weather goes, but March is definitely the turning point when it comes to springtime. Now that February is behind us, you’re surely starting to eagerly anticipate the warmer weather and blooming vegetation that spring brings with it. Keep in mind, however, that spring can bring a number of problems with it as well. This is especially true for those of us with allergy and/or asthma symptoms.

Contrary to what some homeowners seem to believe, the air in our homes is not inherently of high quality. In fact, it is possible that the air in your home is more polluted than the air outdoors! If you want to breathe clean, healthful air in your home all year long, you may require professional indoor air quality products and services in Loveland, CO.

Dust, Dirt, Pollen, And Other Airborne Pollutants

Because you’ll be going in and out of your home more now that the weather is nice, and because there is more exposed dust and dirt outdoors in the spring and summer than there is in the winter, it is possible to track these pollutants into the house with you. Plus, blossoming vegetation means pollen that can go airborne outdoors and find its way into your home. The first line of defense against these airborne pollutants is an air filter.

The air filter in your HVAC system, unfortunately, is probably not going to cut it. These filters are of low efficiency, with a low MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value). Your system may be able to handle a more efficient standard filter, but using a designated filtration system that complies with your HVAC system is a better option. You may also opt to use an air cleaner, such as an electrostatic precipitator, to take a more active stand against these pollutants.

These electronic air cleaners feature ionization chambers that charge the pollutants in the air. Those pollutants are then trapped on collector plates that are oppositely charged. The plates can be removed by the homeowner for simple, convenient cleaning.

Biological Pollutants

Removing dust and dirt from the air is an effective way of dealing with such pollutants. However, not all pollutants can simply be removed from the air successfully. Living microorganisms, such as mold spores, viruses, and bacteria, are often too small for such an approach. They are also biological entities, meaning that they can reproduce. Destroying them and rendering them incapable of reproduction is really the only way to effectively deal with them.

Using UV air purifiers, like UV germicidal lights, will do the trick. Installed in your ductwork near the air handler, these lamps emit UV rays that disrupt such pollutants at a biological level. They are entirely safe for animals and people in the house. They should be used to supplement, but not replace, more traditional air filtration/purification systems, as they do not filter airborne pollutants out of the air.

Schedule your IAQ services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, the company you can trust. 

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We are pleased to announce the grand opening of our new sales and showroom office at 1700 S College Avenue. Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning brings over 80 years of experience in the heating and cooling industry and is committed to providing expert service at sensible prices.

ShowroomFacade

Our Grand Opening will be on Saturday, March 11 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Regardless of your current heating and cooling needs, come for FREE BBQ, refreshments, door prizes and other special offers only available to those who drop in; you’ll even get to mingle with Mitchell Frank — the voice of our jingle! We extend this invitation as our way of introducing ourselves to the neighborhood.

Let us know if you can make it by viewing the event on Facebook!

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