Whether you love skiing and are anxiously anticipating the coming winter season, or you are bracing with trepidation for your least favorite time of the year, there is no denying that winter is well on its way. That is why you must take all necessary steps right now in preparing for the coldest time of the year. We may not be able to help you sit this winter out, but we can ensure that you are able to make it through the coldest of seasons in relative comfort. Consider the following tips, and remember to schedule your heating services in Windsor, CO with the pros here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

Test Run Your System

First and foremost, we encourage our customers to test their heating systems prior to the point at which they’ll really need them. The last thing that you want is to turn on your heating system when the temperature plummets, only to find that it really is not working up to your deservedly high standards. By running your system before the winter is really underway, you’ll have an idea of its performance quality.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

Remember, just because you’ve tested your system and it appears to be running, there is no guarantee that it is running as efficiently or effectively as it possibly can. Even if you think your system is doing just fine, you really do have to schedule routine heating maintenance on an annual basis. That way, every component in your system will be functioning properly and you can rely on it to satisfy your heating needs.

Don’t Put Off Your Installation or Replacement

If you are having a home completed and need a heater installed therein, don’t wait for winter to start before having it done. Heating technicians only get busier the closer the winter weather gets. Also, don’t roll the dice with an old, unreliable system. Sure, you may want to get one last season out of your old heater. Is it really worth being without a heating source due to a system breakdown, though? If you’re thinking about installing a new heater or replacing an existing system, then ours is the number to dial.

It’s finally spring, although that does not guarantee us that we have seen the last of the frigid weather blow through northern Colorado. Still, the end of the regular season for your furnace is now in sight, and soon you’ll think more about the cooling comfort of your air conditioning than the workings of your gas or electric furnace.

So before your mind turns to summer days, take care of any repairs your furnace may need. You don’t want the system to go into its summer hibernation with any malfunctions, since that may mean an ugly surprise on the first cold day of the fall. Timely repairs are key to receiving a long life from your furnace.

Call the experienced team at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning when your home is in need of a heating repair service in Windsor, CO for the end of winter:

• Replace broken heating elements: This applies to electric furnaces, which use an array of electrically-powered heating elements to raise the temperature of the air the blower sends out into the ducts. Electric furnaces have more than one heating element, and more come on as demand requires. If one burns out, it will reduce the furnace’s heating power. It’s easy to let this repair go when you don’t ned as much heat at the end of winter, but you should have technicians replace the broken element as soon as possible before you suddenly need all the heating elements turning on.
• Clean the burner: For gas furnaces, the burner must remain clean or else the gas jets will not receive sufficient oxygen to light. This will either reduce heating power or cause the burners to be unable to light at all. For proper cleaning, the burner must be detached from the gas line first, and this requires the work of a professional.
• Replace worn motors/motor bearings: After a hard winter of work, the motors that run the blower and the fans in the air handler can start to wear down and lose the lubrication that allows them to operate smoothly. If dust has started to get into the cabinet, the problem will grow even worse. If you hear screeching sounds or grinding noises from the furnace, call for professionals to inspect the system to see if motors or motor bearings need replacement.

Rely on Professionals

Any furnace requires an experienced professional to repair it—especially a gas furnace, which poses a significant danger of carbon monoxide exposure and explosions if handled inexpertly. Don’t take any chances with a furnace due for repairs: call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, where we’ve tended to furnaces since 1934. Give us a call today to set up your next service appointment.