Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Tag: AC Repair

Repair Your AC System

Summer is right around the corner. Before you know it the kids will be out of school, the weather will be blazing hot, and it will be time to take that family vacation you’ve been planning. There is so much to look forward to in the upcoming months. This is why it would be terrible to spoil this with the stress of unexpected air conditioning repair in Loveland, CO.

When we talk to homeowners, they tell us that the most stressful part of air conditioning repair need is finding the right team in a flash. This is why we make sure that everyone on our team is trained, licensed, and ready to perform. Your main part in this process is recognizing the signs that you need repair. Let’s get into those reasons below.

Contact a Professional When

These are the signs you should ignore. Get a professional out to your home when you notice any of the following signs:

Unit Blowing Warm Air

The number one sign that you’re having an issue with your home’s air conditioning system is the unit blowing warm air. The is a probably that you should pay special attention to because it’s not always obvious that it’s happening. If you’re noticing that you have to run your air conditioner much more often than you’re used to, that only the coolest temperatures around seem to keep you cool, or that you’re paying more than you’re used to, then it could be a refrigerant problem.

Thermostat Inaccuracy

Is the reading on your home’s thermostat accurate? If you can’t confidently say that it is, then you’re creating trouble for yourself when it comes to you comfort. A thermostat reading that’s even just a little off is going to change your comfort for the worse. This is because just a few degrees difference determines if your air conditioner runs or not. A reading that’s always a little too high means that your system won’t turn on when you ned it most. Don’t deal with this during the entire spring and summer season.

Discomfort

Can you say that you’re comfortable at home? If you can’t, then it might be because of your air conditioner. Unfortunately, your home’s air conditioner can wear down over time. If you’re struggling to get cool for a reasonable price this season, then it’s time to consider repair.

High Energy Bills

Are your energy bills far too high although your system has been maintained? This might be due to an undercurrent issue with your home’s energy bills. This is when you should reach out to one of our professionals for repair work.

Disruptive Operation

Could you describe the way your air conditioner operates as disruptive? Disruptive operation could be a system that runs in short, incomplete cycles that leave you uncomfortable. Disruptive operation can also be an air conditioner that’s incredibly noisy every time you run it. Either scenario is an issue. We’ll solve your issues and get your AC system back on track.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment with our professionals. We’re “big enough to serve, but small enough to care.”

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When To Call for AC Repair

When summer arrives, the temperature really begins to put your air conditioner to the test. This is the time of year where you start to realize that your air conditioner is nothing short of essential. It really wouldn’t be easy to get through the hottest of summer days without your air conditioner by your side.

If you’ve started to notice that your air conditioner is acting weird, but you’re not sure if you actually need AC care, then this is the right blog for you. We’re going to help you determine your needs today. We can handle your air conditioning repair in Loveland, CO.

Call After You Notice This

These are the signs that you need to call a professional for air conditioning care.

1.      Warm Air

Have you noticed warm air in your home? This is bad news. You’re going to overwork your system trying to compensate for this issue. Efficiency is what you deserve and repair service can help you get it.

2.      Weird Noises

There are quite a few troubling sounds that you can hear coming from your air conditioner. The problem comes from any air conditioning sound that you hear that’s new, unfamiliar, or too loud. If this is a problem that you’re dealing with it’s also a great idea to get in touch with our team members sooner than later. Don’t let the problem develop into a huge issue.

3.      Thermostat Issues

Your thermostat should always display an accurate temperature in your home. If it doesn’t, then you need to get thermostat services from our professionals.

Another aspect of this is the status of your thermostat. If you don’t have a Wi-Fi or smart thermostat, then you’re behind the curve. This isn’t just about keeping up with the Joneses either—it’s about your efficiency. Don’t sacrifice the quality of your system just because you think you’re satisfied with what you have. We promise you there’s better out there.

4.      High Energy Bills

Have you noticed that your energy bills are rising out of nowhere?

High energy bills are never a good sign if you’re not doing anything out of the ordinary. If this summer is typical of how you’d run your air conditioner any other summer, then the problem is bigger than your habits. The beast you’re battling is inefficiency. If you try to brush this problem off, you’re going to notice your air conditioning system performance decrease in quality over time. It’s best to handle the issue now.

5.      Humidity Issues

We have humid summers here in Loveland. This is why humidity issues are important. If you’re noticing an absence of moisture in your home or an excess amount of moisture, then you need to get yourself some air conditioning care.

Even if your humidity issues don’t seem like they’re going to be the end of a comfortable summer, they’re definitely something that indicates a bad omen. Humidity issues are a clear sign that you should get care from a professional.

Contact Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning for your air conditioning repair needs. We’re big enough to serve, but small enough to care.

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AC Repairs

Has a contractor ever told you there’s a way to unlock 100% AC reliability? Because you definitely shouldn’t listen to that contractor. Modern air conditioners are very well designed and manufactured. They remain mechanical systems, though. And that means that problems will develop from time to time. So what’s a homeowner to do? Just kick back and wait for that to happen?

Not exactly.

Just because you can’t prevent every air conditioning problem doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to prevent as many as possible. How can you do that? Well, that’s the focus of today’s post! We’re not giving you DIY AC service tips, because that’s what our professional technicians are for. We do have some insights into how you can easily minimize AC repairs in Loveland, CO, though.

 

1. Change Your Air Filter

Okay, we said we weren’t giving DIY tips here. But changing your air filter is the single best way you can contribute to your air conditioner’s success on your own. The air filter in your air conditioner isn’t there to boost indoor air quality. It’s there to protect your air conditioning system itself. And, if you don’t change it regularly, you are directly contributing to its lack of success.

These filters usually need to be changed every 1-3 months. That’s much more frequently than annual maintenance (spoiler alert). If you don’t change your filter enough, it can get clogged. When it gets clogged, it creates a lot of airflow resistance. And when that happens, the strain on the system can and will lead to operational problems eventually.

2. Always, Always Hire Trained Professionals

Want to know how even a great AC can struggle to succeed? If that great AC is not installed and serviced by qualified professionals. It sounds obvious, but trust us. There are a lot of overly confident tinkerers and DIY-enthusiasts out there. We’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again. A quality system from a great manufacturer, and in need of constant repairs.

This really starts right from the beginning. You need to know that your system is the right fit for your home. You need your duct system expertly designed to service that home. You need any repairs, when they are needed, to be done the right way. Cutting corners by working with amateurs is going to come back to bite you in the long run.

3. Maintenance. The End.

We cut right to the point on this one. If you don’t schedule yearly maintenance for your air conditioning system, you are going to run into problems at a much higher rate than you should. Your air conditioner puts in a lot of work for you. You need to show it the care that it needs to keep it functioning as reliably and efficiently as possible.

We actually offer a comprehensive maintenance plan for just this reason. Check out our video on energy savings here. To say that routine maintenance is an absolute necessity is still an understatement. It protects your comfort, it protects your system, and it protects your investment.

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

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Repairs

At the time of this writing, there is no air conditioner on the market that will start yelling out for help when trouble is brewing. That doesn’t mean that the average homeowner has no way of knowing that their AC is struggling, though. If you pay attention to what your system is telling you, and know how it’s communicating, then there are plenty of warning signs.

There is never a situation in which it will benefit you to put necessary air conditioning repairs on hold. The first sign of trouble should have you calling out to our air conditioning repair experts in Loveland.  But how do you know when this is necessary?

Today, we’ll cover 3 ways in which your air conditioner may sound the alarm that all is not well. Keep these warning signs in mind, and don’t hesitate to schedule service. A prompt, professional repair is your best bet against serious issues!

 

1. It’s Grinding Its Gears—and Yours!

We cannot stress this enough. Your air conditioner should not be developing new sounds as it gets older. If you start hearing a strange new sound coming from your AC, that means that it is time to have that sound investigated. Don’t write that new grinding, squealing, or clanking sound off as little more than a minor annoyance. That’s how it begins, but that’s not how it’ll stay.

Strange sounds could be the result of anything from loose components, to insufficient lubrication, to electrical issues. The bottom line is that a professional diagnosis is the only appropriate course of action. Don’t write something off, only to find out the hard way that it was more serious than you thought!

2. It’s Costing You an Arm and a Leg

When things really heat up and you’re running your air conditioner pretty much around the clock, it’s easy to write off high energy bills. After all, that cooling doesn’t come for free, right? Well,  that may be true—but don’t get comfortable overpaying for your comfort!

Keep an eye on how much you’re typically spending to cool your home, and definitely take note of any abnormal spikes. Again, there are a lot of different potential reasons why your system may see a drop in efficiency. You could be looking at anything from a dirty air filter (simple fix) to a refrigerant leak (the exact opposite of a simple fix). We’ll figure out precisely what’s going on.

3. It’s Just Not Getting the Job Done

Well, that’s pretty obvious. I’m not going to ignore my AC if it can’t even cool my house down. We know that this sounds obvious, but trust us—we’ve gone on a lot of calls where homeowners admit that their ACs have been underperforming for some time before calling it in.

The point is that you don’t want to wait for your air conditioner to break down entirely before you report the problem. You want to get out ahead of any problems, and that means that you want to contact us as soon as your AC starts to struggle.

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

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Refrigerant Leak

You are going to run into problems with your air conditioning system at some point. “Problems,” of course, is a very broad term. An air filter that is too dirty is a problem, but it is one that homeowners can pretty easily resolve on their own. A refrigerant leak, on the other hand, is a very serious problem. If you have any reason at all to suspect that you have a refrigerant leak, then you absolutely need to schedule professional repairs right away.

If you want the best air conditioning in Loveland, CO, then you need an air conditioner with the ideal amount of refrigerant in the system. It’s just that simple. Low refrigerant levels cause serious issues, potentially doing irreparable harm to systems. And refrigerant is not just something that you can top off,  like the gas in your car, when it runs low—because it should never run low. More on that below. Let us handle your AC service needs.

What Does Refrigerant Do?

It is not an exaggeration to say that the whole operation of your air conditioning system hinges upon the refrigerant cycle. Without refrigerant, your air conditioner simply cannot cool your house! Your air conditioner does not generate cooled air out of, well, thin air. No, it removes heat from the air that is already in your home, and then redistributes that air back throughout the house. And it does so through the evaporation and condensation of refrigerant.

As the refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, heat is drawn out of the air. That warmed refrigerant then travels outside, where it is condensed, releasing its heat into the air outdoors. This cycle continues until your desired temperatures are met throughout your home. It’s a relatively simple process in theory, but a refrigerant leak can bring everything grinding to a halt.

Your AC Does Not Consume Refrigerant

That refrigerant cycle that we discussed above does not involve the consumption of refrigerant. Instead, the cycle continues over and over again in a closed system. That means that a decreasing level of refrigerant indicates a leak. Why is that such a major problem?

  • Low refrigerant levels lead to higher energy costs, as the system must run longer and longer.
  • Eventually, the system can start to short-cycle as it overheats, running in short bursts. This further raises operating costs.
  • Additionally, the system is put under a lot of excessive strain. This increases the risk of operational problems.
  • You’re now paying more money for less cooling, while also covering repair costs that could have been avoided.
  • Eventually, the compressor can seize up. At that point, you’ll probably be looking at a whole system replacement.

If you notice that your AC keeps developing ice, that it is short cycling, or that its cooling output is decreased, then you need to contact us right away. Don’t allow a refrigerant leak to take a serious toll on your home cooling system.

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

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 Refrigerant Leaks

We’re the company that locals call when they need an HVAC company in Loveland, CO, that they know they can trust. We’ve seen and done it all when it comes to AC repairs over the years. There’s still one AC problem that can send chills down our spine—though it won’t do anything to help your AC chill your home! That problem is the refrigerant leak, and it is a very serious problem indeed.

Your air conditioner shouldn’t run out of refrigerant. It shouldn’t need a refrigerant top-off at any point. That refrigerant loop is supposed to be a closed system. Low levels typically mean that there is a leak present, and that is a job that only a trained, experienced technician can handle. We’ll find the leak, we’ll seal the leak, and we’ll make sure that your refrigerant charge is right back up to where it should be.

 

What Is the Function of Refrigerant?

Cooling your home. No, really. We’re not being snarky. Without refrigerant, your air conditioner doesn’t cool, period. And no, refrigerant isn’t some mystical fluid that remains cold at all times and allows your AC to maintain comfortable temperatures.

What refrigerant actually is is an incredibly effective heat transfer fluid. This is due in large part to the fact that it changes between liquid and gaseous states so easily. Refrigerant evaporates in your AC’s evaporator coil, which draws heat out of the air in your home. Then it is condensed in your condenser coil outdoors. That allows the heat to be released outside. The process just repeats until desired temperatures are met.

Low Charge? Big Issue

If you have a refrigerant leak, even a tiny one, your AC is going to suffer. The lower the refrigerant charge, and the more you run your system, the worse off your air conditioner is. That’s a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, too. Your AC won’t be as effective with a low refrigerant charge, so it is inherently going to run harder.

This leads to insufficient cooling. It drives up energy costs, as more electricity is used by your AC to achieve subpar results. Your air conditioner incurs unnecessary wear and tear, meaning that the risk of operational problems is greatly increased. It can also cause short cycling, icing on the coil that creates an insulating barrier, and a lot more.

Contact Us If You Run Into Trouble

You cannot afford to wait when it comes to resolving problems with refrigerant leaks in your air conditioning system. The longer that you do, the more likely it becomes that your system will be irrevocably damaged. An AC that is forced to run on a low refrigerant charge can suffer compressor failure, all but guaranteeing the need for replacement.

If your system isn’t cooling your home effectively, if operating costs skyrocket, or if you notice your system running in short bursts, dial our number right away. We’ll get to the bottom of the problem.

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

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Drive Down Your Cooling

If you’re looking for a blog post that will tell you how to keep your home cool and comfortable for free, you’re going to have to keep on looking. If you find a blog post telling you how to do that, then you shouldn’t take it too seriously. Why not? Because cooling your home isn’t free. You have to pay for your comfort in the summer. That being said, there is no reason why you should be overpaying to cool your home.

In today’s post,  we are going to be covering some ways in which you can help to cool your home in a more affordable manner. Don’t worry, we’re not just going to tell you that you have to invest in an expensive new system. We can handle your AC replacement if the time is right—or any air conditioning repair in Loveland, CO, for that matter. But for now, let’s just focus on getting those cooling costs under control. 

Upgrade Your Thermostat

Okay, we did just say that you don’t have to replace your air conditioning system to get a more affordable AC experience, and that’s true. We didn’t say, however, that you shouldn’t consider replacing your thermostat. Let’s be more specific: your old manual thermostat.

The thermostat is the control with which you regulate the operation of your AC. If you have a very bare-bones thermostat, like one without programmable features, then you are really doing yourself a disservice. Upgrading to a programmable or even a smart model will help you to cool your home more affordably.

Change Your Filter

The air filter in your air conditioning system is not really there to improve indoor air quality throughout your home. It is there to protect the AC itself. If this filter gets too clogged up, then it is going to generate excessive amounts of airflow resistance. When that happens, your system is going to have to work harder than it should in order to cool your home effectively, driving up cooling costs in the process.

Trap Cool Air In

Yes, summers are hot. Many summer nights and mornings are substantially cooler than the daytime is, though. So why not give the AC a rest, throw open the windows in the evening, and close them before things get too warm again?

You can get the AC back up and running before temperatures really spike so that it won’t have to play catch up. You can also prevent heat gain through sun exposure by closing heavy blinds during the brightest part of the day.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

There is no escaping this—not on our watch! The best step you can take to keep your cooling costs in check is to schedule routine air conditioning maintenance. There is no getting around this one. Let us inspect and tune-up your air conditioner so it operates both as efficiently and reliably as possible. You and your wallet will thank us!

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

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The short answer to this question is really that you want to schedule air conditioning repairs the moment you notice there are problems with your air conditioner.

There are a few problems with this answer, though. You may not have the background knowledge to notice problems right away, and you may not realize that certain problems are actually that serious even when you do notice them. Today, we want to help you better understand these situations so you can take prompt action.

Air conditioning problems are only going to get worse the longer that you choose to ignore them or the longer that it takes you to realize that these problems demand your attention. Early intervention is key, so be sure to schedule air conditioning repair in Windsor, CO, with our team at the first sign of trouble. We excel in AC repairs of all kinds, and we also have the training and expertise necessary to diagnose problems accurately the first time.

Track Cooling Costs

A fairly simple way to spot potential air conditioning problems is keeping track of how much you’re paying to cool your home. If you do this throughout the cooling season, year to year, then you can have data available to compare against even early in the current season.

The cost of cooling your home is a hugely helpful performance indicator because not all problems will cause your system to break down entirely. Not all problems will cause the AC to blow warm air. However, pretty much any problem with your air conditioner will reduce its overall energy efficiency.

Compare Different Areas in Your Home

When you invest in a whole-house cooling system, you’re investing in an air conditioner that you can use to cool your entire house. That’s kind of the entire point. So it only makes sense that certain rooms being warmer than others is a sign of trouble.

If you’re perfectly comfortable in your living room, but find yourself sweating throughout the night in your bedroom, then there is definitely a problem that needs to be dealt with. It could be something as serious as a refrigerant leak impeding the cooling process and output to a relatively minor duct leak in the single section of the system that needs sealing. Whatever the case, you’ll need professional technicians to do the job right.

Listen for Sounds of Trouble

You might think that everything is relatively fine with your air conditioner so long as it is pumping out cool air. However, this is not really the case. If you hear anything unusual, or if you hear normal operating sounds that seem to be at a much louder volume than usual, you should definitely be reaching for the phone.

Loud noises might mean grinding, screeching, or clanging sounds. It may be the result of a worn belt or a loose component. There are numerous reasons why your system may suffer like this. Whatever the case, our technicians will get to the bottom of it.

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

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Season AC Problems

Once the warm weather finally arrives around here, we’re all pretty ready for the change of pace. Winters in Colorado can be beautiful and there’s certainly no shortage of outdoor winter sports opportunity around here. But eventually, enough is enough. Before long, though, you’ll find the heat in your home is a bit much, and you’ll turn to your air conditioning system for comfort once more. The best piece of advice we can give you to help your system succeed is to schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with our team.

But there is no such thing as a 100% reliable air conditioner. You can count on the need for air conditioning repair in Loveland, CO, at some point. When that time comes, you want to act fast. The longer you wait to schedule repairs with our team, the worse off your air conditioning system is likely to be. In today’s post, we’ll cover some issues you’ll want to address even if it’s the beginning of the season.

 

Short Cycling

Well, it’s just been lying dormant all winter. Give it some time, it’ll get back up to running speed soon. 

Do not give your short cycling air conditioner this benefit of the doubt! If you had your air conditioning system tuned up before you started using it again, then the most likely contributors to short cycling should have been addressed. Your refrigerant charge should have been checked, your air filter should have been changed, etc. If your system is still short cycling after routine maintenance, you could have an electrical issue or something else that either snuck by during your tune-up or which developed in the interim. Either way, you don’t want to go into the cooling season with an air conditioner that won’t run consistently.

Warm Air

This is something that you’ll notice as soon as you start using your air conditioner, and it’s definitely something that you want to address right away. If there is warm air coming from your vents and you just had your system tuned up, then there is a likely suspect that you don’t want to wait on repairing: leaky ducts!

If your air ducts are leaking, then they need to be professionally sealed or, depending upon the extent of the issue, replaced. Your ducts are not going to be inspected as part of a regular tune-up. If they’re pulling warm air into the system through leaks, though, you’re going to be paying more money for less comfort in your home!

Strange Sounds

Eh, the system’s cooling my house down. I can live with the weird noise. It’s barely noticeable in most of the house.

Well, if that’s your attitude, trust us, we’ll be seeing you soon! It’s definitely better to get out ahead of this particular problem. Depending upon the type of noise—screeching, whining, banging—you could be looking at anything from a worn-out belt to a loose motor mount. These problems won’t cause an immediate disruption in cooling, but they can eventually—while also doing more damage to the system.

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

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Your air conditioner is making a weird Why Schedule AC Repairssound. Or it is starting and stopping too frequently. Or maybe it’s blowing warmer air than usual, or costing more to run. Whatever the case, there’s a problem of some kind affecting system performance.

But hey, we’re almost at the end of the 2018 cooling season. Why not just wait until the summer begins anew to have the air conditioner repaired?

Well, as it turns out, there are a whole lot of reasons.

And yes, we’re going to share a few of them.

First, however, an executive summary of what is to follow …

It is always best to schedule immediate AC repair in Loveland, CO.

If you ask us, no problem with your air conditioning system is ever truly “minor” enough to ignore. The sooner that you stop thinking of problems like that, the better off your air conditioning system.

Start Saving Money Immediately

The whole “well, my air conditioner is still working pretty well” argument really drives us nuts. Why? Because a good enough performance is not good enough, and for a few reasons.  Chief among them is the fact that we hate thinking of our customers paying too much for too little comfort. That is just what you’ll be doing if you fail to schedule your air conditioning repairs promptly, though.

Whatever the other effects that your problem has on your air conditioner may be, you can definitely count on energy efficiency suffering. It may not add up to too much right away, but even a little bit of unnecessary cost is too much for our valued customers. When we repair your system promptly, your budget reaps the benefits as well as your comfort!

Prevent Further Damage

If you sprain your ankle a mile from the marathon finish line, you may decide you’ve come too far to give up. It’s not as if you can have a doctor come out to the race and patch you up. If you do manage to finish, of course, you’re really going to feel it for a while to come.

When it comes to your AC finishing a marathon of cooling a home all summer, there’s no reason to force it across the finish line. You can easily have a technician come tend to its pain points. Scheduling prompt repairs helps limit further damages to the system.

For the Sake of Convenience

Let’s pose a question—how certain are you that you’ll remember to schedule your AC repairs before you actually need to use your system next year?

If your answer is “not very,” then have the job done now! The last thing you want is for summer to strike harder and earlier than expected when your air conditioning system isn’t prepared for it. If you get the necessary repairs out of the way now, you won’t find yourself scrambling to schedule service during our busiest time of the season.

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

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