Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

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Furnace Repair Loveland CO

It would be great if there was always a clear cut sign that you needed something like furnace repair in Loveland, CO, wouldn’t it? Well, there actually are quite a few such signs,  but they may not be quite as clear as you’d like. The clearest need for furnace repair would probably be a completely broken down furnace, right? Well, sure—but you obviously don’t want to wait for your furnace to break down entirely before you have it repaired!

That’s where these tips are going to come in handy. And the “good” news is that these are problems that you are already aware of. You just may not realize that they alone are enough to justify system repairs or, at the very least, a call to us to have your system evaluated. So keep them in mind, and keep your system functioning properly and safely by scheduling prompt furnace repairs the moment that you have cause to suspect there is a problem.

Your Furnace Isn’t Blowing Warm Enough Air

That’s odd, you think, the air coming from the furnace doesn’t seem hot enough. Oh well, it’s pretty cold out. The house will heat up eventually, even if it takes a little longer than usual.

No. Uh-uh. Stop. Stop making excuses for problems like this.

Regardless of how cold it may be outside, your furnace should be capable of heating the air in your home effectively. If it doesn’t seem like the air is hot enough,  there could be quite a few problems at play. It’s possible, for instance, that you have leaky ducts that are pulling unheated air from unheated areas of the house (like between walls) into the system. You could also have a problem with your thermostat or with your fuel delivery/combustion mechanisms. We’ll figure out precisely what is going wrong so that you can go back to heating your home effectively.

Your Furnace Is Running in Short Cycles

This is called short cycling. Not the most inventive name, is it? Well, regardless of how inventive it is, it’s apt. Why? Because a heater is not supposed to run in short cycles. Short cycling is a problem. You want a heater to run in full, even cycles. So if you notice short cycling in your home, you may need repairs. We say “may,” because there is one situation that you should rule out on your own before scheduling repairs. That is a dirty air filter.

A very dirty filter can actually create so much airflow resistance that the system winds up overheating, causing it to shut down to avoid damages. Then it starts up again, only to cycle back down before long. If the filter isn’t dirty, then you likely have a problem that is going to require professional service.

Your Bills Are Going Up

There is very little that is truly “free” in this life, and heating your home is no exception. You’re going to have to pay for your comfort. That doesn’t mean that you should accept overpaying for your comfort, though. If your energy bills are too high, it could definitely be a result of a compromised system in need of repair.

Schedule your furnace repairs with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. Big Enough to Serve, Small Enough to Care.

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Heating Repairs

Wouldn’t it be great to invest in that heater that will never give you any problems and will never require repair service? Yes, it would be. Unfortunately, there is one major problem with this plan. That heater does not exist. If you find a heating contractor telling you otherwise, then you’ve found a heating contractor that cannot be trusted. While investing in a good heater and scheduling routine maintenance will keep repair needs minimal, there’s just no avoiding them entirely.

What you can do, however, is keep any such repair needs as minor as possible. How? By scheduling your heating repairs at the very first sign of trouble with your system. The longer that you wait to have your system repaired when it is in need, the worse off your system is going to be. Now, how do you go about doing this? You learn to recognize early signs of trouble. That’s what today’s blog is all about.

 

Your System Is Costing too Much to Run

One sure sign that there is something wrong with your heater is a steady creep upward in heating costs. However, there is a big difference between something being wrong with your heater and the actual need for heating repair in Loveland, CO. It could be that you have a dirty air filter in your system restricting airflow, for instance.  That will drive up operating costs, but it’s not something you need professionally repaired. If you continue to run a heater with a very dirty filter in it,  however, you may find yourself in need of repairs!

If there’s not an obvious solution to the problem, unfortunately, there may be any number of issues requiring repairs to get your heater and its efficiency back on track. Our team is trained to diagnose problems with your heater accurately, and we’ll make sure that any problems we find are resolved completely. We do it the right way, the first time, every time.

Your System Makes Strange New Sounds

If you hear the occasional sound from your heater, there is probably nothing to worry about. Your heater may make a bit of noise when it cycles on. Maybe its ductwork contracts and expands as it heats up and cools down. There are definitely noises that fall within the confines of normal operational sounds.

Then there are noises that can’t be explained away as being part of normal operating sounds. Grinding, screeching, booming, etc. If your system really starts to make strange sounds that it hasn’t in the past, don’t just do your best to ignore it. Schedule repairs with our team right away.

Your Heater Won’t Start Up

That’s a pretty clear sign that something is wrong, right? First things first, check your breaker box. It could be that the flip of a breaker switch is all you need to resolve the problem.

If all is well there, then call us in. It could be a faulty thermostat, it could be that there is a fuel delivery problem. Whatever the issue, our professional heating technicians will get to the bottom of it.

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

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Furnace Running Properly

Make no mistake about it—you are going to require professional furnace repair in Wellington, CO, at some point. No amount of planning or precaution is going to completely prevent the risk of problems developing. That being said, you can take some measures to ensure that any problems with your furnace are kept as few and far between as possible. That’s what we’re going to be focusing on today. Our technicians have the tips and tricks you’re looking for!

The truth of the matter is that there is really no “trick” about it. If you take good care of your furnace, your furnace is going to take good care of you. It’s just a matter of educating yourself about what your furnace actually needs from you. This is a combination of doing the things that you should do for your furnace, and not doing the things that are best left to trained professionals. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Get Your Furnace Off to the Right Start

We know that most homeowners, even those that are pretty DIY-driven, wouldn’t actually try to install a furnace on their own. However, not doing it on your own is not the same as not doing it right. While you may well know a handyperson in the neighborhood or have one in your family, this is a job for qualified professionals only. Not even the most skilled handyperson can install a furnace if they’re not trained and licensed appropriately.

When a furnace is first installed in a home, there is a whole lot to consider. This includes the sizing of the furnace to optimize performance and efficiency levels. the layout of the ductwork to be installed, electrical wiring matters, and much more. It’s a very complex job, and only a heating professional can be trusted to do it right every step of the way.

Maintain Proper Airflow

Wait, what? I thought I’m not supposed to work on my furnace myself?  

No, you’re not. And maintaining proper airflow doesn’t require that you do so. It simply requires that you change your air filter regularly to ensure that your system is not fighting against excessive airflow resistance, and that you don’t obstruct the registers in the house.

Changing your air filter is actually the best thing that you yourself can do for your system, and it’s incredibly easy. As for the registers, just make sure that you’re not pushing your furniture up against them by accident. And, if you’re looking to maintain different temperatures in different areas of your home, make sure that you talk to us about zoning your system—don’t just close off registers in an attempt to achieve the desired effect.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

This is what it all comes down to. Schedule annual heating maintenance to keep your system in the best working condition possible. Nothing is better for your heater, furnace or otherwise, than giving it a clean bill of health through professional maintenance from a qualified heating technician.

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

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 Gas or Electric

Ah, yes, the age-old question of which is better—the gas or the electric furnace.  Those of you that followed a link to this post because you’re looking for a simple, clear cut answer to this question may be a bit disappointed in what we have to tell you.  That is that both have their pros and cons. Don’t worry, though. We’ve got a lot more to share with you than that initial response. It’s a more complex question than you may realize.

Let’s first reframe the way that you’re thinking about this question, to begin with. Choosing a new heater of any kind isn’t about choosing the best heater. It’s about choosing the heater that’s best for you. There’s a big difference between the two. Not only will we make sure that you have the right furnace in place for your needs, but we can handle everything from your furnace installation to routine maintenance and furnace repair in Loveland, CO.

 

Natural Gas Is Typically Preferred

Again, we’re not going to say that natural gas is the “best” option, but it is hard to argue against the benefits of using a natural gas furnace to heat your home—and natural gas as a fuel source in general. Natural gas is quite clean-burning for a fossil fuel, it is piped directly into homes, and can be used for a number of different applications.

There is also the matter of affordability. We’re going to talk about why efficiency ratings can be a bit misleading, and why you shouldn’t necessarily equate them with affordability in terms of operating. Not only does natural gas burn quite efficiently, with modern furnaces really getting a lot of out of the fuel, but the gas itself is quite affordable. So, what about electric models?

Electricity Has Its Own Benefits

Remember, not every home has access to natural gas. That isn’t the only reason one would ever turn to an electric furnace, but it is a major motivator. The use of natural gas necessitates some proximity to a natural gas line, and that’s not a guarantee in every area.

If electricity can do the same thing as natural gas when heating your home, and if it’s already in pretty much every home anyway, why not just choose electricity to start? Well, because it costs more to heat a home with electricity than natural gas. While electric furnaces are incredibly efficient, because they don’t lose heat via flue gases the way that gas furnaces do, the cost of electricity is also considerably higher than natural gas. That’s why it’s possible to have a more efficient system that still costs more to operate.

If you have any questions about any of this, or if you are ready to schedule your furnace repairs, tune-up, or installation with qualified professionals that you can trust to do the job right, just let us know.

Schedule your furnace services with the pros here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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Schedule Your Heating Tune

A lot of homeowners feel that taking care of their properties and the systems within those properties is their own personal responsibility. That may be true, but handling all of the services that those systems require is not something that most homeowners can or should attempt to handle personally. If you’re not an HVAC professional, for instance, then you should leave your heating tune-up in Loveland, CO, to our team. HVAC maintenance is a necessity, and it requires a professional’s expertise.

You’ll find plenty of that when you work with our staff. We service heaters of all kinds, and we’ll make sure that your home heating system is ready to keep your family comfortable successfully throughout the coldest days and nights of the year. Colorado can be quite beautiful during the winter season, but it’s a lot easier to get out and enjoy a day on the slopes when you know that you’ve got a warm, cozy house to return to.

 

Why You Can’t Pass Up Heating Maintenance

Simply put, if you value your comfort,  then you absolutely need to schedule routine heating maintenance in Loveland, CO. Be sure to work with a member of our team to get the greatest possible return on your investment in heating maintenance. The benefits cannot be overvalued.

  • Improved heating efficiency, which means that you’ll be able to keep your heating bills as low as possible throughout the coldest time of the year.
  • Improved performance quality, meaning that you’ll actually be paying less for a better performance from your heater.
  • Improved reliability, which will keep repair needs as few and far between as possible.
  • Improved system lifespan, meaning that you’ll get the fullest service life possible from your system.
  • Improved safety, meaning that you won’t have to worry about risks caused by negligence when running your heater.

Why You Need a Professional to Do the Job Right

Well, so that you can enjoy all of the above benefits! If you try to tune your heating system up on your own, your best case scenario is doing a subpar job of it. Worst case scenario, and unfortunately a very likely outcome, is that you’ll wind up putting your heater, your comfort, and the safety of everyone in your home at risk. Make the smart choice, and let our team handle your home heating maintenance needs.

It’s just too complicated a service to carry out on your own. You can change your own air filter and you can keep the outdoor unit of a heat pump clear of any debris. Beyond that, however, a pro needs to do the job. From testing relays to ensuring the safe delivery of fuel throughout the system for combustion, we’ll cover every detail. When you work with us, your heater will work optimally in order to optimize your comfort all throughout the heating season. Be sure to enroll in our maintenance program to get the best maintenance experience possible!

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

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Heater Running Consistently

There are a lot of different problems that may develop with your home heating system. If you think the fact that your heater is starting up and functioning at all means that all is well, then think again! Not every problem is going to result in an immediate breakdown. There are plenty of problems that can do damage over time even as your heater is still technically running. You cannot afford to ignore any signs of trouble for this exact reason.

One huge red flag that you should be aware of is short cycling. Short cycling is what we call it when a heater (or an AC, for that matter) starts up alright, but then runs only briefly before shutting back down. That heater is then going to start back up, only to complete its cycle in rapid succession once more. Why should you be concerned if the system is starting and stopping, though? Well, let’s take a closer look.

You’re Definitely Wasting Money

How do we know that? Because if you’re running a short cycling heater, then you’re definitely wasting energy! It takes more energy to get a heater up and running than it does to keep a heater up and running. That’s true of any mechanical system. So, if your system is starting and stopping over and over again rapidly, it is costing you more to run than it should. That’s not the only potential way in which your short cycling system is costing you, though.

Your System Is at Risk!

All of that starting and stopping may not cause an immediate breakdown, but you still want immediate HVAC services in Loveland, CO. Why? Because your system is suffering excessive wear and tear that it otherwise would not. All of that wear and tear will further degrade energy efficiency over time. However, it is also going to wind up increasing the risk of operational problems and, eventually, a breakdown. You’re  going to wind up paying for repairs that likely could have been avoided, had you fixed the problem to begin with.

You’re Not as Comfortable

What’s worse than overpaying to heat a home during the coldest time of the year? Living uncomfortably anyway, despite the amount that you’re paying to heat your home. It’s very frustrating, but that’s what’s going to happen if you continue to use a short cycling heater to heat your house. It just is not going to do as effective a job of it as a heater that is running in full, complete cycles.

There are a few different reasons why a heater may short cycle. It may be as simple as a very dirty air filter that is causing the system to overheat. However, you could also have a faulty thermostat or thermocouple. You could even have a refrigerant leak in a heat pump, which will literally destroy that system if you don’t have the problem addressed in a timely manner. When in doubt, reach out to a member of our team to get your heater back in proper working condition.

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

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Air Heating Tip

We’re deep into the winter season at this point, and there’s no doubt that you’ve been running your heating system regularly for a couple of months, now. That’s not going to change any time soon, though, so don’t think you can start to let your heater slide just because spring is coming up in the distance. There is a lot of ground to cover before we get there, and you don’t want to put your heater’s operation at risk in the meantime.

If you use a forced air heating system, meaning either a heat pump or a furnace, then there is one important maintenance task that you need to handle on your own. It is one that your technician will handle during your routine tune-ups, but one that requires action more than once a year. We’re talking about changing your air filter. It’s the simplest and one of the most effective ways in which to get the best performance possible from your heater in Timnath, CO.

 

Why Is a Fresh Filter So Important?

Some homeowners think that because the indoor air quality in their homes is not terrible means that their standard heating air filter is doing its job just fine. The problem with this, of course, is that the air filter in your home heating system is not there to improve air quality throughout your house! The purpose of this standard air filter is, in fact, to protect the heating system itself. This filter is not efficient enough to improve air quality throughout your home. This task requires a more efficient, designated air filtration system.

Okay, then what is the problem with a dirty air filter? Well, problems, really! There are quite a few of them, and you may be surprised at just how detrimental a dirty air filter can be. Here’s how a dirty filter in your heater can affect your system, your comfort, and your budget:

  • Increased operating costs. If your filter is very dirty, then your heater is going to have to work harder than it otherwise should in order to heat your home. That drives up heating costs, leaving you with higher energy bills when the time comes to actually pay for the comfort that you deserve in your home.
  • Reduced heating output. You know what’s worse than paying too much for heating your home? Paying too much for too little heating output in return. That’s what you risk when you run your system with a very dirty filter in place, though. Your system will struggle to distribute heat throughout your home effectively, leaving you in less comfort than you deserve.
  • Added strain on the system. When your system works harder than it should have to in order to heat your home, it is going to accrue more wear and tear than it otherwise would. In fact, the added strain on the system may cause it to overheat and short-cycle, which drives up costs and adds even more wear and tear on your heater!

Keep your filter fresh, and contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning with any questions that you may have. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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heat pump

If you use a heat pump to keep your home warm and cozy throughout the coldest time of the year, then we certainly hope that it is meeting—nay, exceeding!—your expectations so far this winter. If this is not the case, then don’t just tell yourself that you’ll deal with the problem once the winter season has come to a close. You wouldn’t limp along the last few miles of a marathon with a sprained ankle just because it wasn’t actually broken, right?

While your heat pump may be up and running, the problems it is experiencing may still indicate that there is a serious issue in need of attention. Failing to give those issues the attention they need straightaway could result in serious damages to your system, as well as a slew of other issues including reduced energy efficiency and subpar heating output. So read on, keep these potential issues in mind, and remember that our technicians can determine the precise nature of the problem with your heat pump in Wellington, CO.

Specific Problems That Your Heat Pump Might Face

  • There’s ice on my heat pump! Well, it is winter, so there’s likely going to be ice all over the place, right? Well, maybe, but your heat pump should not be encased in it. Make sure that your heat pump is not poorly located right beneath dripping water from window eaves or anything like that. If not, remember that some icing is actually normal, which is why the heat pump has an automatic defrost cycle. If the system is becoming encased in ice, though, give us a call ASAP!
  • My system is running in short bursts! Well, at least it’s still heating the house, just in an erratic manner.  That can’t be too bad, right? That depends on how you view excessive wear and tear and increased heating costs with reduced efficiency. We’re guessing, through that lens, you’d call it “pretty bad.” You may just need to replace a very dirty air filter that is causing the system to overheat by reducing airflow.  This can actually cause the icing mentioned earlier, too. However, there is onr more problem that can be blamed for such issues, and it’s a doozy …
  • Your heat pump is leaking refrigerant! Well, it might be, anyway. Refrigerant leaks can cause icing, short cycling, reduced efficiency, and a drop in heating output, which means that any such problem should be taken seriously, even if the actual cause is not that serious. Why? Because running a system with a refrigerant leak for too long can, without exaggeration, actually destroy the system. Don’t ignore any potential signs of refrigerant leaks.

Get the Heat Pump Performance  That You Deserve

Ultimately, you shouldn’t have to use fear as a motivator to have your heat pump repaired promptly. This is your heating system, and it is integral to your comfort. That alone is cause enough for concern when even “minor” issues develop.

Schedule your heat pump services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning—the company you can trust.

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Winters in Colorado are not to be trifled Ductless-Woman-300x244with. When temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, your best ally is a great heating system. Hopefully, you’ve got one installed in your home already, and it is ready to go at a moment’s notice. Or, more realistically at this point, it is ready to run and run and run for the foreseeable future. Of course, it is entirely possible you’ll need to replace your heater unexpectedly or that you are simply planning ahead for a heating replacement in the spring.

Whatever the case may be, we encourage you to weigh your options carefully so you wind up with the perfect heating system for your needs. Just because you’ve always used the same type of heater does not mean you have to continue using the same type of heater, after all. A ductless heating system may be what you’ve always wanted, even if you were not aware of it until now!

Why Skip the Ductwork?

There are a few reasons why you may want to forgo the use of ductwork when heating your home.

First of all, you may not have ductwork previously installed. Maybe you had an old boiler that used a radiant heating system or baseboards to heat your home. Those systems are great, but you may want to take advantage of forced air heating instead. Rather than install new ductwork in an existing property, you can retrofit your home with a ductless mini split with much less hassle.

Alternatively, you may want to avoid the use of ductwork in order to also avoid the inefficiency and air quality issues that can stem from leaky ductwork. Ideally, your ductwork would be expertly installed and then never run into any issues. Even if your ductwork is installed and designed properly every step of the way, however, chances are an issue will develop eventually. That’s just the reality that we live in.

There Are Many Other Benefits to Consider

The major one being that, when you heat your home with a ductless mini split, you’re using a heat pump. Like other heat pumps, ductless systems do not generate new heat in order to heat your home. Instead, they use the refrigerant cycle to exploit the heat transfer principle. This is a fancy way of saying your system will use existing heat in the air outside in order to heat your home with great energy efficiency.

In the summer, the ductless mini split evaporates refrigerant in the indoor coils in order to remove heat from the air in your home. That’s what makes your home cooler. In the winter, refrigerant evaporates in the outdoor coil. That refrigerant absorbs heat from the air outside and is then compressed to boost its thermal energy. After traveling indoors, the refrigerant is condensed and the heat it releases is used to heat your home. Because the ductless blowers are all controlled independently of one another, you can also easily maintain different temperatures in different areas of your home, further boosting efficiency while living more comfortably!

Schedule your HVAC services in Loveland, CO with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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Yes, we would love to tell you how you can Trouble with your Furnacecompletely avoid problems with your heating system. No, we cannot tell you how you can completely avoid problems with your heating system. Nobody can. Well, nobody honestly can. Why not? Because there is no such thing as a 100% reliable heater! If you find someone telling you otherwise, then you need to talk to somebody else. Don’t give such dishonest individuals your attention, let alone your money! We can, however, tell you how to spot signs of heating system trouble early on.

It may seem like a weak consolation prize, but catching problems early is definitely in your best interest. There are plenty of warning signs that you may notice, provided that you know what it is that you are looking for. If and when you notice any of these signs of trouble with your furnace, contact a member of our team right away. You can always count on our staff for exceptional HVAC services in Windsor.

How’s the Heating Output?

Okay, so this is an obvious one, but trust us—a lot of homeowners ignore obvious signs of trouble so long as their furnaces are working “well enough.” If you ask us, though, well enough is never good enough for our clients. So don’t put up with subpar heating output!

Does it seem like the air coming from your vents just isn’t warm enough, despite the fact that the thermostat is set appropriately? Are there cold spots in your home, while other areas are perfectly comfortable? Anything from combustion issues to leaky ductwork and problems with fans could be to blame. Our technicians diagnose problems accurately before resolving them.

Keep an Eye on Heating Costs

Homeowners can ignore a lot, but they tend to take notice when it’s their wallets that are taking the hit! If the heater is costing an arm and a leg to heat your home, but it used to do so quite affordably, then it is likely that you have a problem setting back your energy efficiency.

Unless you are happy to overpay to heat your home, you’ll want to have the issue resolved as soon as possible. And don’t tell yourself that it’s not that expensive, that repairs aren’t that necessary. The longer you avoid the issue, the more costly those repairs are going to be down the road.

Listen for Signs of Trouble, Too

It’s not all about keeping your eyes open and looking for signs of trouble. You may hear signs of trouble before you see anything is wrong. This is the case with heaters making strange new sounds, or even those making the same old sounds but at much louder levels than usual.

When you hear your heater banging or clanging, grinding or screeching, it is time to give us a call. Your heater is trying to tell you something, and that something is that it is struggling in some way! Ignoring its cries of duress will come back to haunt you when you finally decide it’s worth calling a technician.

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

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