Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Air conditioner

Why Schedule AC Repairs This Late in the Season?

September 3, 2018

Your air conditioner is making a weird sound. 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.

Where’s This Water Surrounding My AC From?

August 20, 2018

Huh, you think, taking in the scene. That’s weird. I didn’t even realize my air conditioner used water. So, should I call a plumber, or an AC technician?

First things first—stop what you’re doing!

You are right to be confused. A central air conditioning system does not use water in its cooling process. It doesn’t have a water supply line. It does not store water in a tank.

So, am I just imagining I’m seeing water around the AC unit? Because I’m definitely seeing water around the AC unit.

Well, no—we didn’t say that. What we are saying is that this is not exactly a water leak, at least not in the way you’re thinking of. Feeling more confused? That’s okay. Trust us, we get plenty of calls for HVAC services in Windsor, CO from homeowners in your same situation. The good news is we have answers.

First of All, What’s the Source of the Water?

If your air conditioner is not a plumbed appliance with a designated water line, then where is the water surrounding the indoor unit coming from? There are two potential answers to this question.

The first is that the water surrounding your air conditioner has just wound up there due to the AC unit being at a low point in the home. It could have come from a plumbing leak, or even from a leak in the foundation letting water in when it rains. Whatever the case, water is naturally going to follow gravity’s pull, and that means it will pool around the AC if it’s at the lowest point on the floor it is installed on.

A more likely scenario, however, is just that you’re looking at condensation. Your AC doesn’t generate cool air, remember, but instead evaporates refrigerant in order to draw heat out of the air already inside your home. As it does so, humidity is removed from the air and condensation collects on the evaporator coil. But why is that condensation winding up around the AC unit?

Condensate Drainage Issues

Your AC has a condensate drain pan and drain line, which allows for condensation to be removed from the house. If the drain pan or drain line is damaged, then leaks can develop. By adjusting the drain pan, cleaning the drain line, or replacing either component in the event of damages, you can resolve the problem.

You could also be dealing with ice melting off the evaporator coil. This could be due to a very dirty air filter restricting airflow to the point where condensation freezes on the coil. It could also be the result of a refrigerant leak, though.

If you have a refrigerant leak, failure to schedule prompt repairs could actually result in potentially irrevocable damages to your system. If your filter is not obviously dirty, but you’ve got issues with ice developing, there is no time to spare!

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

Is Your AC Leaking Refrigerant?

August 6, 2018

Why do we ask? Because a refrigerant leak is actually one of the most serious problems you can face with your air conditioning system. Not only that, but it is also one of the most common! That is a bad combination, especially when you consider that the symptoms of a refrigerant leak are not always easy to spot or accurately diagnose at first! We’re not here to alarm you, of course. Instead, we just want to make sure that you have some basic information which will help you to deal with any refrigerant leaks successfully.

Does that mean that you can fix your own refrigerant leak once you determine that this is what you are most likely dealing with? Absolutely not! Fixing a refrigerant leak is no different than almost any other AC repair in this regard. It’s a job for skilled professionals and skilled professionals only. When you suspect that you need an air conditioning repair in Loveland, CO, be it for a refrigerant leak or any other problem, remember that the pros on our team are always here for you.

You Are Right to Be Concerned, Considering the Function of Refrigerant

What function might that be? A pretty important one, in that the entire cooling process hinges on the refrigerant cycle! Specifically, it demands the evaporation and condensing of refrigerant.

Your air conditioner has two coils, those being the indoor evaporator coil and the outdoor condenser coil. Refrigerant evaporates in the indoor coil, which allows it to draw heat out of the air passing over it. The warmed refrigerant is pumped through the system to the condenser coil, and its heat is released into the air outside during the condensing phase of the cycle. That cycle continues until desired temperatures are met in your home—which is a much easier goal to reach when you have the right amount of refrigerant in the system.

How Can I Spot Trouble?

By knowing what to look for. Keep your senses on the alert for any of the following problems in your home.

A decrease in cooling output, or even warm air coming from the vents. If you don’t have enough refrigerant in the air conditioning system, then it will struggle to effectively cool air.
An increase in cooling costs. If you there isn’t enough refrigerant in the AC system, then it is not going to work as efficiently as it otherwise would.
A hissing sound coming from the system. If you have a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner, then you may hear the pressurized gas escaping from its lines in the system.
An icy evaporator coil or frost on the refrigerant lines. If you have a refrigerant leak in your air conditioning system, then these components can get too cold and ice up.
An irregular cycling pattern. Leaking refrigerant will cause the air conditioner to overheat and may force it to shut down rapidly in an act of self-preservation. Short cycling puts added strain on the system and further drives up energy costs.

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

How Dirty Filters Affect ACs

July 23, 2018

Are you one of those homeowners who is diligent in scheduling routine air conditioning maintenance services each and every year? If so, then we applaud you. This is a responsible trait to possess, and one that is sure to help keep your air conditioning system running as effectively, efficiently, and reliably as possible. However, you must also keep in mind that routine maintenance alone is not necessarily enough to get you the cooling performance you deserve.

There is at least one major step that you should take on your own, and that is changing your air filter. No, you cannot complete a full AC tune-up on your own. However, you can change the air filter yourself, and you should be doing so as needed. This is typically required every 1 to 3 months, though a number of factors will influence how frequently your filter actually needs to be changed. So read on and learn more about how changing your air filter benefits you, including keeping air conditioning repairs in Windsor, CO at bay.

Yes, It Is That Big of a Deal

We know what some homeowners reading this are probably thinking. Really? I need to change my air filter that frequently? Is that really necessary?

The answer is yes. It is that necessary. A dirty air filter may not seem like that big of a deal, particularly if you have not noticed a marked decline in overall indoor air quality. However, the function of this filter is not to boost indoor air quality throughout your home. Instead, it is there to protect your HVAC system itself from the various problems that may arise when pollutants like dust and dirt build up on its components.

What Kind of Problems Are We Talking About?

For starters, you are going to see a dropoff in system energy efficiency. If you are trying to cool your home in the most efficient manner possible (and why wouldn’t you?) you are definitely not going to want to keep a dirty air filter in place. That is going to make it harder for the system to force air through it, and that is going to cause the system to consume more and more energy as it tries to do its job. You’ll see this reflected in your overall energy costs.

You will also notice that you are paying more for a lesser cooling output. Your system just won’t work as well as it should if it is contending with a dirty air filter. It may even wind up short cycling, meaning that it will start up, run briefly, then cycle back down rapidly. When that happens, you are going to consume more electricity than you should have to because your system uses more energy when starting up than it does when running normally. Plus, you are putting a lot of wear and tear on the system, and the decreased airflow can cause the evaporator coil to ice up, insulating it and making the problem worse.

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

What Happens When You Delay AC Repairs?

July 9, 2018

Chances are that if you are reading this blog, you are not an air conditioning expert. That’s why you come here for our expert advice, right? Well, many non-experts, meaning most homeowners, are a bit confused about when is the right time to schedule service with their Windsor, CO air conditioning repair specialists. Let us ask you this—when do you schedule repairs? When the AC is completely incapable of cooling your home? When it breaks down completely? If so—reconsider this course of action right now!

There are a lot of problems that may develop with your air conditioning system. Even the best ACs on the market today manufactured by the most trusted companies around are going to encounter operational problems from time to time. The best way in which to deal with those problems is to do so the moment that you notice any signs of such trouble developing. Read on to learn more about how delaying repairs will negatively affect you.

You’re Just Making Them Worse

Imagine if you sprained your ankle a mile or two into a marathon, and then went on to finish that long, arduous race—an immense challenge even for those participants in great shape. How do you think your ankle would fare? Sure, you’d have one heck of a story and a rightly earned sense of accomplishment. Would it be worth the damage done to your body, though?

Probably not, considering you may not want this race to be your last! The same is true of an AC that is working its way through the summer season despite being in poor working condition. Yes, it may make it through to the end. It will likely be much worse for wear as a result, however, and perhaps even damaged beyond repair.

You’re Wasting Money

Okay, so let’s say that your air conditioner is not functioning at peak performance levels, but it is still getting its job done decently in spite of the troubles that it is facing. No big deal then, right? Wrong. Why? Because it’s not just about a poor performance level, but a poor efficiency level, too.

If your air conditioner is not kept in great working condition, then it is not going to work at great efficiency levels. It is that simple. Your air conditioner does not have to break down entirely to cost you a lot of money. You’ll see that in the high cost of cooling your home with a compromised, but technically operational, system.

You’re Putting Your Comfort on the Line

Are you most likely to get sick when you’re well rested and healthy, or when you are being pulled in a million directions at once and are running yourself ragged? Obviously the latter, right? That’s much the same with your AC, which is most likely to suffer serious damages just when you need it the most!

Be sure to schedule prompt air conditioning repairs if you are serious about keeping your AC reliable. Ignoring “minor” issues will have major consequences if and when your system finally breaks down during the hottest time of the year.

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

Why Is Annual AC Maintenance Necessary?

June 25, 2018

If you navigate around this site a bit or read through some of our previous blogs, then you will notice very quickly that we are strong advocates of annual air conditioning maintenance. Yes, annual. Yes, every single year. Why? Because there is just no better way to keep your AC working like new, without investing in a new air conditioner every year! When a professional tunes up your system annually, you will enjoy a great cooling experience.

We cannot stress that last bit enough. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. An AC tune-up is definitely worth doing, and only by scheduling this service with trained professionals can you hope for it to be done right. If you think you can read a few blog posts or watch an instructional video in order to learn how you can tune up your AC yourself, think again! This is definitely a job for air conditioning professionals in Loveland, CO.

A Waste of Money? Quite the Opposite!

It’s an argument many have made—many of whom have learned the hard way that routine AC maintenance is definitely worth the minor cost of the service! My air conditioner is fine—if it’s not broken, why fix it? There is a fundamental flaw in this logic, that flaw being that AC maintenance is not about fixing problems, but rather preventing those problems from developing in the first place.

This should be obvious, with the service being called “preventive maintenance” and all that, but some people still fail to see the connection. No, there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of running into operational problems with your air conditioning system from time to time. When your system is kept in the best working condition possible, though, it is far less likely to run into such problems. That saves you money on repair costs and even a premature replacement.

You Do Want to Live Comfortably, Right?

If so, then you are definitely going to want to schedule routine air conditioning maintenance. There is a major difference between an air conditioning system that starts up when you need it and one that actually excels in its operation. If good enough is good enough for you, that’s fine. If you’re serious about living comfortably, however, you need more than a good performance.

You need a great one, and that is what routine air conditioning maintenance allows for. Only when every component of your air conditioning system is pulling its weight, from motors to fan belts and everything in between, can your system truly function at peak performance levels. Do not allow “minor” issues to cause very real problems very shortly down the road. Instead, work with our team to keep your system working properly!

With annual air conditioning maintenance, you discover problems early on so that immediate interventions can be made. You can help to extend the life of your system. You boost energy efficiency so that you can actually pay less for greater comfort. If all of this sounds good to you, and we cannot imagine why it wouldn’t, check out our maintenance program today.

Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning is big enough to serve, small enough to care.

Don’t Forget to Change Your AC Filter

May 29, 2017

We hope that you have taken our frequent bit of advice to heart and been diligent in scheduling routine air conditioning maintenance in Wellington, CO. If not, you are putting your comfort, your budget, and even the overall operating condition of your cooling system at risk. While annual air conditioning maintenance is definitely the best way in which to keep your AC functioning at peak performance and efficiency levels, there is also one important step that you should be handling yourself: changing your air filter as needed.

It may not sound like much, but simply changing out your air filter as needed is one of the best things that you can do for your air conditioner. Of course, it is important that you use a filter that is the right for your air conditioning system. If you have any questions about how frequently you should be changing your filter, how to actually replace the filter, or what type of filter you should be using, do not hesitate to give our technicians a call. In fact, you just may find some more helpful tips right here in upcoming posts.

Increased Airflow Resistance

When you leave your air filter in your air conditioning system for too long, it is going to get very clogged up. Obviously, the whole point of your air filter is to create enough resistance to filter pollutants out, but to allow air to flow through that filter as well. If the filter is clogged, then the AC is going to start to struggle to pump air through that filter effectively. That will cause the system to work harder, driving up your energy costs.

Decreased Comfort Levels

Know what is even worse than paying too much to cool your home due to a dirty air filter? Paying too much to do so, even as your comfort plummets! This is a real risk if you let your air filter get too dirty. Not only will your system burn through more energy as it struggles to cool your home, it will also fail to deliver cooled air throughout the whole house effectively. You may notice that areas further from your air handler simply are not as comfortable as others.

Increased Risk of Damages

Perhaps the greatest reason for changing your air filter regularly–even more than protecting your comfort and your budget–is protecting the air conditioning system itself. If your AC is trying harder and harder to force air through a clogged filter, that wear and tear can result in serious damages to the system. The decreased airflow could also lead to ice on the system as the evaporator coil gets too cold, and this layer of insulation will only impede operation further.

Changing your air filter as recommended by the manufacturer and being careful to use only those filters designed for use with your specific system are some of the best ways in which to get the most out of your AC. Do so, and you’ll be able to keep your cool this summer.

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

Don’t Forget to Have Your AC Tuned Up

April 3, 2017

Looking ahead at the weather forecast, you may be wondering why we are even mentioning your air conditioning system right now. No, you are not going to need to run your AC in the immediate future. However, it is not going to be much longer before the time comes to put your air conditioner back to work. If you want to ensure that your home cooling system is ready for action when you need it, then you should go ahead and schedule your routine air conditioning maintenance for the season.

It is impossible to overstate just how important it is that you schedule regular air conditioning maintenance in Timnath, CO. Only when your system is thoroughly tuned up by a qualified professional can you expect it to operate at peak performance levels. There is likely more to routine maintenance than you even realize. Count on our technicians to ensure every single step of the process is completed with care.

Why Can’t I Do My Own Maintenance?

Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one. Routine air conditioning maintenance is simply beyond the skill level of even the most avid DIY enthusiast or handyman. There is no way that you can tune up your air conditioner properly on your own, unless you happen to be a professional AC technician by trade.

Now, there are a few very basic maintenance services that you can and should handle on your own. For instance, you should be changing your air filter regularly, typically every 1 to 3 months depending on how quickly it gets dirty. You can also do things like keep your outdoor condenser unit free of debris. There is much more to a full maintenance tune-up than these basic tasks, though. Following is a partial list of what we’ll do during a maintenance visit.

Test and evaluate overall system operation.
Clean/replace filters.
Record operating temperature/pressure.
Record amperage draw.
Clean condenser coil.
Inspect condensate drain pan and line, clean as needed.
Lubricate moving parts.
Check all electrical connections and components.
Check refrigerant levels.

Why Is All of This Necessary?

Because a well-tuned air conditioner is simply going to outperform a poorly maintained air conditioner in every facet of its operation. When a system is routinely tuned-up, that system is going to operate more efficiently than it otherwise would, which saves you money in operating costs. It will also operate more reliably, with a reduced risk of damages and problems developing. In fact, routine maintenance can even extend equipment lifespan.

Ask About Our Energy Savings Agreement

If all of this isn’t already enough to convince you of the merits of routine air conditioning maintenance, you should also consider the fact we offer an Energy Savings Agreement to make things as simple as possible while also offering you further benefits.

As a member of our program, you get discounted rates on repairs, saving 15% should anything go wrong with your system. You will also never pay overtime costs, and you get priority customer status. We guarantee same-day service and will work to accommodate your schedule.

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

Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Air conditioner

Start Saving Money Immediately

Prevent Further Damage

For the Sake of Convenience

First of All, What’s the Source of the Water?

Condensate Drainage Issues

You Are Right to Be Concerned, Considering the Function of Refrigerant

How Can I Spot Trouble?

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

Yes, It Is That Big of a Deal

What Kind of Problems Are We Talking About?

You’re Just Making Them Worse

You’re Wasting Money

You’re Putting Your Comfort on the Line

A Waste of Money? Quite the Opposite!

You Do Want to Live Comfortably, Right?

Increased Airflow Resistance

Decreased Comfort Levels

Increased Risk of Damages

Why Can’t I Do My Own Maintenance?

Why Is All of This Necessary?

Ask About Our Energy Savings Agreement

Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

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