Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Month: March 2020

 You Flush

One issue that few of us saw coming as the world deals with a viral outbreak is a lack of toilet paper. Lo and behold, though, toilet paper has become something of a commodity in certain areas. We hope that you’ve got everything that you and your family need stocked up and at your disposal. If, however, you do find yourself running out of toilet paper, think twice before you try and flush an alternative down your toilet!

Our plumbers are very skilled at removing clogs and getting toilets flushing again, and we will certainly be there for you should you need us. Right now, we understand that a plumbing problem is probably not something you really want to be thinking about, though. Prevention is key if you want to avoid plumbing issues, so we’ve got a few tips to help you keep your bathroom plumbing in Loveland, CO, as reliable as possible.

Hey, Paper Is Paper, Right?

Are paper towels and toilet paper very similar in terms of what they’re composed of? Sure. Does that mean that you can flush paper towels down the toilet the same way that you flush toilet paper? Absolutely not!

Remember, just because something can be flushed down the toilet does not mean that it is going to make it all the way through your drain and sewer system. Paper towels may be paper, but they are not designed to break down easily the way that toilet paper is.

Facial tissue might be a little better, and you may be able to get by with it if you’re flushing very small amounts very frequently. Really, though, your best bet is to throw this stuff in the trash can when you’re done with it if you have no other choice but to use it in the bathroom. Is that as convenient as flushing it? No. Is taking the trash out very frequently more convenient than dealing with serious clogs? Absolutely.

Don’t Be Fooled by “Flushable” Claims

Again, there is a difference between “flushable” and something that is actually going to get through your system with no issues. Perfect example? Flushable wipes. If you have wipes in your home and you don’t have toilet paper, then you’re not too bad off. However, again, those wipes should be going in the trash, not down the toilet.

Baby wipes are a great option for hygiene, but they just don’t break down the way that paper products do. That goes for pretty much anything claiming to be “flushable” that is not toilet paper. Trust us, we get called out to plenty of service calls where pipes are clogged due to flushing “flushable” products. Better to play it safe than sorry here.

Schedule Your Plumbing Services with Our Team

This is a trying time. It is a confusing time. You don’t need any other stress on your plate right now. When you choose to work with our plumbers, you won’t be adding any.

Contact the company you can trust today: Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning!

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We know that readers usually come to our blog for informative and educational posts about the systems and services that we offer. However, as is the case across the country and the globe right now, there is one topic at the forefront of our minds. That is COVID-19, or the Coronavirus.

We understand that homeowners everywhere are exercising extreme caution when it comes to mitigating the chance of exposure to this virus in their homes. Trust us, we are doing the same in ours. And we promise you that every member of our team will take these same precautions when working in your home and on your property.

If you have an appointment scheduled with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, rest assured that we’ll continue to provide you with the exceptional service that you deserve in this uncertain and trying time, and that we’ll do so while making your health and safety our top priority.

Our entire staff is well aware that prevention starts at their homes, that it continues in the workplace, and that it extends into the residences of our valued clients. They have the information and supplies that they need to do their jobs while protecting both themselves and the clients that they serve.

If you have any questions or concerns about your upcoming appointment, or if you are thinking about booking an appointment but want to know more about our specific preventative measures, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team.

Here is what we are doing:

  1. Tech makes no physical contact with the customer, maintaining a 3 – 6 foot barrier
  2. No shaking hands
  3. Techs wear shoe covers
  4. Wipe iPad after each use
  5. For your protection, we are using hand sanitizer, gloves, and disinfectant wipes
  6. Face coverings are worn
  7. Any employee displaying any symptoms of the Corona Virus or experiencing a temperature of 100 or more will not be in your home.

Call Us Today @ 970-484-4552

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Gas Piping Safely

If you use natural gas in your home, you don’t need us telling you how great a resource it is. It is piped directly into your home, eliminating the need for fuel deliveries or for storing fuel. It is a largely domestic product, so you don’t have to worry about volatile markets and the pricing spikes that come with them quite as much. Plus, it is just so versatile! Homeowners use natural gas for everything from heating their homes to fueling their water heaters, ovens and ranges, and even their clothes dryers.

Like most any other fuel source, however, natural gas can be dangerous if not used and/or delivered throughout your home properly. That is where the necessity for professional gas piping services comes into play. You can’t do better than working with our plumbers in Loveland, CO. We aim for your 100% satisfaction with every job that we do, and your safety is even more important! Let us help you use gas safely.

Natural Gas Is Combustible, and Leaks Are a Serious Problem

Obviously, natural gas is a combustible fuel, and fires or explosions are possible when this gas is ignited. That’s a good thing in a controlled environment, of course. It’s how a gas furnace is able to generate heat and how your oven is able to cook that nutritious dinner for your family. When natural gas leaks develop, though, things get very dangerous very quickly. That is why it is so important that your natural gas appliances and piping are installed and serviced by trained professionals.

When you hire us to install your gas piping, everything is done with the utmost care and local codes are satisfied. Again, your safety is among our most serious priorities. By no means should you avoid natural gas because it’s dangerous. Pretty much any fuel is dangerous is if you’re not able to use it properly in your home.

Natural Gas Leaks: How to Spot Them

If you’ve ever smelled natural gas, then you know that its odor is actually pretty hard to ignore. Simply put—it stinks! What you may not realize is that this sulfuric stench is actually very deliberate. Natural gas, in fact, is odorless in its most natural state.

That smelly, rotten egg odor is the result of an additive put into the gas. And why would something so gross smelling be added to natural gas? To keep you safe! Again, you’d have trouble ignoring this odor if you smelled it in your home, and that is the entire point. If you smell this eggy odor in your house, exit the premises and contact the appropriate utility/service immediately.

You should also take note of this odor outside your home. Natural gas is piped in from a main gas line, and you may develop a leak in your main delivery line. You may notice that vegetation is dying off in the proximity of your gas line, too. That’s a strong indicator that you may have a gas leak on your hands.

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

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Fresh Furnace Filter

We really value our customers. If there was a way in which we could guarantee a 100% reliable performance from your home heating system, trust us—we’d do it. That is just not possible, unfortunately. Even the best heaters made by the top manufacturers in the industry are prone to occasional repair needs. That does not mean that you have to invite problems with your home heating system, however. And there is one specific way in which homeowners do this that we want to address today.

We’re talking about leaving a very dirty air filter in your furnace. If you don’t keep that filter fresh, then you are absolutely increasing the risk of needing furnace repair in Windsor, CO. As we’ll touch upon below, there is really no excuse for letting things get to this point. So read on, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about procuring the right filter for your furnace, how to change it, etc. We’ll help you succeed!

What This Filter Does—and Doesn’t—Do

A lot of people think their furnace filter is just fine because they don’t really understand the purpose of this filter. Well, it doesn’t seem like the indoor air quality in my home is all that bad, so the filter must still be fine, right? Wrong. We’re glad that you’re thinking about your IAQ, of course, but that’s not as directly linked to this air filter as you may think. Sure, a very filthy furnace filter may exacerbate air quality issues. However, its primary function is not really to clean the air in your home. It’s to protect the furnace itself from problems caused by pollutants.

Basically, this filter is keeping dust, dirt, and other pollutants from building up within your heating system and on sensitive components in your heater. That could definitely lead to operational problems. And if this filter gets too dirty, it is going to make things worse by really driving up airflow resistance in the system. The harder that your furnace has to work in order to force air through the filter and throughout your home, the greater the wear and tear on the system.

That is going to increase the risk of overheating and damages to the system. Again, not changing the air filter will put your system in peril! Aside from the routine, professional maintenance that we provide, simply changing your air filter regularly is the best thing that you can do for your system.

And It Is Simple!

These filters are quite cheap. You’ll want to be changing yours every 1-3 months, depending on various factors in your home, but it’s not going to break the bank to do so. And, if you’re worried about getting your hands dirty with a complex job, don’t worry about that. We wouldn’t ever advise DIY jobs that the average homeowner couldn’t handle. You should never attempt to service your furnace on your own, but pulling out an old filter and sliding a new one in is, well—as simple as it sounds!

Schedule your heating services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

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