Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Indoor Air Quality

Do you use air ducts in order to distribute heated and/or cooled air throughout your home? If so, do you know for certain that your air ducts are in the best working condition possible? If not, don’t worry; you are far from alone in this position. However, you should know that having an understanding of the type of condition that your air ducts are in can be hugely beneficial in a number of ways.

If your air ducts are working just fine, then you should be able to enjoy a great performance from your HVAC system. With improperly sealed or leaking ductwork? Not so much. Here are a few warning signs to keep an eye out for which can indicate the need for professional duct sealing in Fort Collins, CO. Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today if you think that it may be time to have your air ducts sealed.

 

  • Increased energy costs can indicate that your air ducts are not properly sealed. Should conditioned air leak out of your air ducts, then it may wind up in areas where it is not needed or helpful. This means that your HVAC system will expend more energy in trying to sufficiently heat or cool those areas which do need it, but are not receiving proper airflow.
  • Decreased indoor air quality is another sign that you may require professional duct sealing services. If your air ducts are not properly sealed, of course, air can leak out. However, pollutants can also make their way into your air ducts. Those very same ducts can then distribute those pollutants throughout the house.
  • A decline in overall comfort levels is another sign that you air ducts may require sealing. If conditioned air is not distributed throughout your entire home evenly and effectively, then you may find hot and/or cold spots developing throughout. Allowing our skilled technicians the opportunity to resolve such problems can help to prevent any such problems.
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Among the greatest difficulties when heating and cooling one’s home is not only doing so effectively and efficiently, but doing so while also maintaining high levels of indoor air quality. Many modern homeowners seek to seal up their homes as tightly as possible in an effort to minimize any energy waste that may occur due to air leaks and other issues. The problem with this is that it negates the appropriate levels of natural ventilation which you need in order to keep the air in your home fresh.

By using an ERV or HRV in Fort Collins, CO, though, you can heat and cool your home efficiently while also allowing for sufficient ventilation, keeping the quality of the air in your home high. Here is some information to consider regarding such systems, courtesy of the IAQ experts here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. If you decide that an HRV or ERV is right for you, then just give us a call.

ERVs (energy recovery ventilators) and HRVs (heat recovery ventilators) are both mechanized ventilation systems, and both operate fairly similarly. In order to vent old, stale air out of the home without wasting the energy that you used in order to condition it, the ERV or HRV passes this air stream by the incoming air, which is not conditioned but is fresh from the outdoors. A transfer of thermal energy takes place, meaning that heat from the air inside is used to pre-warm cold incoming air during the winter months. In the summer, the cool air leaving your home pre-chills the hot, fresh air coming in. Energy recovery ventilators, though, unlike HRVs, allow the air streams to mix a bit, rather than just passing them very near one another.

This intermingling of the air streams allow for the balancing of humidity levels, in addition to the heat transfer that heat recovery ventilators also offer. By balancing humidity for optimal levels, energy recovery ventilators can help to prevent the unwanted fluctuation of humidity during the ventilation process. While some people may recommend that HRVs are best used in cold, dry climates, as humidity is not as much of an issue, the truth is that determining whether or not your home will best benefit from an HRV or ERV may vary on a case to case basis.

A number of factors, including air leaks in the home envelope, the number of square feet measured against the number of occupants, and even the personal habits of people in your home may impact the decision. By hiring and IAQ specialist, such as those at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, you can know for certain that you are choosing the right system for your needs. If you are wondering if an energy recovery ventilator or a heat recovery ventilator is right for you, then just give us a call today.

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Your air conditioner dehumidifies the air in your home to a certain extent during operation, helping to improve your indoor air quality in Berthoud. But when humidity becomes excessive, your home can feel damp and uncomfortable. How can you improve your overall indoor air quality in Berthoud, especially when it comes to humidity? One great tool is a whole-home dehumidifier, one of the many IAQ products offered by Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning.

What Are the Benefits of a Dehumidifier?

There are several benefits to installing a whole-home dehumidifier to your air conditioning system:

Decrease in Allergy Symptoms

Dust mites thrive in humid settings, and pollen likes to cling to the moisture in the air, creating a potentially tough environment for allergy sufferers. By removing excess humidity with a dehumidifier, things like dust mites and pollen no longer have an optimal setting in which to irritate an allergy sufferer.

Prevention of Mold Growth

Mold growth can be dangerous, particularly if someone in your home is allergic to it; removing the moisture mold needs to grow via a dehumidifier helps curb its growth in your air conditioning system and home.

Energy Savings

Moisture in the air makes it feel warmer; when this excess water is removed, it feels cooler to your skin, even if you haven’t lowered the temperature on your thermostat. When this effect happens throughout your household, you may be able to run your AC at a higher temperature setting, even when it’s hot outside. Those few degrees can save you money on your monthly utility bill.

Increase in Comfort

When the moisture level in your home is reduced, it feels drier, and as a result, more comfortable. Nothing is worse than feeling clammy, whether it’s in hot or cold air; with a whole-home dehumidifier, you won’t have to worry about feeling that kind of discomfort.

Talk to Us About Improving Your Air Quality

Since 1934, Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning has been helping customers achieve the comfort they need during hot Colorado summers. Part of achieving full comfort is improving the indoor air quality in your Berthoud, CO home.

Do you think your home could benefit from a dehumidifier? Call Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning today and schedule a consultation with one of our experts.

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