Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Tag: Heating Installation

When the chill of winter is in full swing, you want your heater to act fast in order to heat your home successfully. Obviously, that means that you don’t want to be dealing with a heater that is too small to do the job effectively. However, you also don’t want your heater to be bigger than it needs to be. This can cause just as many problems as a heater that is too small, in fact.

If you think knowing the square footage of your home is all that you need to get the right sized heater, think again. There is much more to consider when sizing your heater in Wellington, CO. Fortunately for you, our technicians are here to guarantee that your heater is of the right size for your home.

But Bigger Is Better, Right?

Wrong. This misconception is one that many homeowners share, and it is one that results in serious heating issues for many homeowners. Here are a few of the ways in which an oversized heater will fail you.

First of all, you’ll be wasting money as early as the time of purchase. If your heater is too big for your home, you’ve already paid for more heating capacity than you’ll ever really need. Keep that money in your pocket by buying an appropriately sized system.

Secondly, an oversized heater is probably going to short-cycle. This means that it will actually bring the temperature of your home up too quickly. That may not sound like a problem, but it will cause the heater to switch on and off more frequently than it should. This puts a lot of wear and tear on the system, and drives up energy costs.

An undersized system will also drive up heating costs and suffer excessive wear and tear. It will run longer than it should as it struggles to heat your home, and that will burn through energy even as you live in less comfort than you deserve. Avoid all of these issues by scheduling your heating services with Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

Big enough to serve, small enough to care.

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With the coldest time of the year rapidly approaching, you really need to get your heating installation out of the way if you need a new system installed in your home. It won’t be long before temperatures are consistently cold enough to make a heating installation a bit of an inconvenience. Of course, you also must be careful not to rush through the process, as your heating installation in Fort Collins, CO will have a major influence on your comfort and your budget for years to come. Consider the following information, and remember to make Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning the company that you call to have your heating system installed properly. 

Distribution Method

The method of heat distribution utilized by any given heater is a major factor to consider. If you are happy with forced air heating, then a heat pump or furnace may be fine for you. If you don’t want to run the risk of energy loss and indoor air quality issues due to leaky ductwork, but still want warm air blowing throughout your home, you may want to consider the use of a ductless heater. Want to forgo forced air altogether? Then ask us about radiant heating systems.

Size of System

It is not enough that you invest in a great heating system. You must also know for certain that that heating system is of the right size for your home. The only way to be sure of this is to have a trained professional complete a detailed heat load calculation in your home. There is much more to a heat load calculation than simply the square footage of your home, so dial our number to have it done right.

Your Budget

This may sound obvious, but it really is necessary that you have a firm grasp of your budget if you hope to enjoy 100% satisfaction with your new heating system. You don’t want to strain yourself financially, of course, but you also don’t want to invest in a very cheap system, only to be paying more than you should in order to heat your home over the years due to a low efficiency rating. We’ll make sure that you are able to find the right balance between affordability, efficiency, and performance quality.

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It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you start looking for a home heating system. There are a wide variety of options, each with their own pros and cons to consider. Lucky for you, our Fort Collins heating installation experts have assembled a list of a couple of heating systems and their characteristics. With our help, you’ll have the perfect heating system in no time.

Radiant Heating

Radiant heating is comprised of small tubes set into the walls and/or subfloor of your home. A boiler heats water, then runs it through these tubes to radiate heat up through the floor. There are a number of distinct advantages to using radiant heating. The first of these is efficiency. Radiant heating loses almost none of its thermal energy in transit, due to the delivery system it uses. Forced air systems, by comparison, lose about 30% of their heat to duct issues between the furnace and the vent. Radiant systems also heat rooms more evenly, creating a more comfortable environment without the cold spots that forced air systems have.

The disadvantage of radiant heating is that it is more expensive than most other systems to install. It is also more involved. Unless you are building a house, you will need to tear up your existing floor to install the tubing over the subfloor. Not many people are willing to go to such lengths for a heating system upgrade.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are outdoor units which operate by siphoning heat from the surrounding environment and pumping into your home. They are more efficient and cost effective than traditional furnaces, and can even function as an air conditioner. Geothermal heat pumps take heat from underground instead of the surrounding air. By taking advantage of the constant temperature underground, the heat pump doesn’t have to work nearly as hard to keep your home warm. The pros of this system include energy savings and versatility. The cons include a loss of efficiency in extremely cold environments and, in the case of geothermal, a more upfront investment.

There are many more options available, and we’ve barely scratched the surface here. We’re experts in heating installation, and we cover the entire Fort Collins area.

If you would like to know more about what heating system could best serve your home, call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today. 

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Gas furnaces are a staple of many homes here in Colorado, providing efficient and reliable heat for many years. Warm air is generated in a central system, then pushed into your home via a series of ducts. Like any other piece of technology, furnaces have undergone a number of upgrades over the years, including important safety features which help keep your home safe. “What safety features are on new furnaces?“, you ask? Read on for the answers.

But remember: if you need a Loveland heating installation done, you can count on Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning to get the job done right.

  • Limit switches. These switches are installed in the gas burner manifold, and are designed to detect heat outside of the burner tubes. Obviously, no one wants flames going anywhere they aren’t supposed it, and heat outside of the burner tubes constitutes a big problem.  The limit switches are designed to shut the gas off in such an event, eliminating the flame and the danger. Most of them will let you know via a readout on the heater front. Some of them also come with a reset button that will let you start the furnace again once a repairman has addressed the issue.
  • Plenum thermostat. While the limit switches detect heat in the manifold, the Plenum thermostat detects the heat around the exchange.  If the temperature climbs too high, the thermostat shuts off the main burner, cutting off the heat and preventing any damage. A trained expert can look at the furnace and resolve the issue before resetting the thermostat.

These and other safety features are designed to prevent further damage to the system and in some cases halt a considerable safety concern. When they kick in, you should call a trained technician to look at the heater. Loveland heating installation companies like Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning can answer the question “what safety features are on new furnaces?” then help you out with any repairs or replacement issues you may have. Your furnace is a key part of your household. Give us a call whenever you have problems with it, and we’ll make sure it’s running smoothly again!

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In rainy towns like Bellevue, heating installation services need to be performed correctly the first time, every time. Our weather doesn’t forgive shoddy workmanship, and if your heater struggles because the installation wasn’t spot on, you’ll find yourself paying much more than you should in monthly bills and repair costs. Finding a good HVAC technician for the job is a good first step, but you can go further by educating yourself about what goes into a quality heater. Here’s how to get the most out of your heating installation.

For starters, make sure the technician you’ve hired is fully qualified and ready for the job. Licensed, certified servicemen will prepare for the job diligently and keep you informed every step of the way. They’ll treat your home like your own, and double-check their work so that your new heater performs exactly as it should.

Selecting the right heater can play a big part in this as well. You want one that is neither too large nor too small, but just right for the size and conditions of your house. A good technician can measure the square footage of your home, as well as noting such elements as sun exposure and the insulation in your attic. If you’re getting a new type of furnace, he should make sure that your ducts and lines are compatible with it, and keep things like the foundation size in mind when making his preparations.

An efficient heater is a good idea too. Heater efficiency is measured in AFUE ratings, which stands for “Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.” The higher the rating, the more efficient the heater, though you can cheat a bit by looking for the EnergyStar sticker which is given out to the most efficient heaters on the market.

For more help on how to get the most out of your heating installation, rely on Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. We operate in Bellevue, heating installation is a specialty of ours, and we understand the need to make your new heater the best it can possibly be. We also stand by the quality of our equipment and service, and won’t rest until you are fully satisfied. Pick up the phone and give us a call today.

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If you need to get a new heater installed, either because your old one has finally reached the end of its years of service or because you’ve moved into a new house, one of the big questions on your mind probably is: “How long will it take to install a heater?

The good news: any heating installation can be done very quickly. The bad news: that’s only if the job is done poorly. Like any complex task that’s worth doing right, installing a new heater requires enough time to get it done so the new system will perform as it supposed to. However, if you hire experienced professionals to handle your heating installation, you can expect the technicians to use the time efficiently, and the end result will be a heater that will work for you for many years with few repair needs.

When you want an efficient and effective heating installation in Johnstown, CO, look to Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. We have served northern Colorado since 1934.

It’s impossible to give an exact time frame for heater installation: it depends on the type of heater, its size, the configuration of the space it’s going into, your home’s requirements, and your previous heating system. Boilers, for example, if they are put in as a replacement for a previous boiler, can take as little as one day to get installed. If the new boiler requires additional alterations to the previous system, it might take up to 3 days to complete.

For other systems, such as furnaces and heat pumps, the work can take longer. A good ballpark figure for an average job is 3 to 5 days. The time will hover on the lower side of the spectrum if the replacement will hook up to existing ductwork. Expect longer if the replacement requires switching to a different energy source. Your installation professionals will be able to give you a more precise figure when they visit your home to begin planning the job.

Because you can expect to go without heat for at least a day, you should schedule heating installation during the fall, before the deep cold strikes. This will also make it easier to find a convenient time for the installers to work, because HVAC companies have fewer emergency calls to attend to before the mercury drops during winter.

If you hire Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning to perform your installation, you can rest easy. We will take as much time as necessary to give you the best heating installation in Johnstown, CO, possible. But we also have the experience and skill to keep the time to a minimum. Take advantage of the fall and schedule your heating maintenance with us today.

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Do I need a heating installation in Bellvue?” is a question each individual homeowner should ask themselves and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. Our cold and snowy climate makes reliable heating an absolute must and if your old heater isn’t doing the job, it’s time to consider a new one. Obviously, the first step is to contact a qualified service technician, who can go over the basics with you and plan for installing a new heater in your home. You can assist that process by educating yourself about the facts involved.  So if “I need a heater installed – what should I do?” is what you ask, here are a few basic tips that can help you out.

In the first case, get your home properly sized. Heaters need to follow what we like to call the Goldilocks Rule: neither too small nor too large but just right for your household. If the heater is too small, it won’t be able to warm your home properly. If it’s too large, it will warm the air too quickly, cycling on and off, and using up unnecessary amounts of energy in the bargain. You can size your home first by measuring the square footage, then by taking a look at the sun exposure (how many window you have facing the sun) and the amount of insulation in the walls and attic. A professional can perform formal calculations, but having a general idea will help you determine the right sized heater for you.

Beyond that, you should consider your needs. Your lifestyle will have a big impact on the kind of heater you need and the kind of accessories you might want. For instance, say you have a large house and only use one or two rooms at a time. You might want to include zone controls with your heater, allowing you to only heat those rooms you’re using and cut down on your energy bills in the bargain. A professional heating specialist can spell out the options for you more clearly.

If you need a heater, you’ve already made the right move by resolving to learn about the process involved. The next step is to call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. We handle heating installation in Bellvue and throughout northern Colorado, and will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

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