Fort Collins residents spend most of their time indoors like the majority of Americans. And when nearly a third of all Americans experience allergies and almost one in 10 suffers from asthma, that makes controlling indoor allergens a high priority for many. If you're interested in improving indoor air quality in your home, try some of the following approaches.

Control Indoor Humidity

The humidity in your air is the source of many common problems, such as mold, mildew, fungal spores and airborne bacteria. In addition, excessively high or low humidity can cause breathing difficulties or lung and throat irritations all on its own. A whole-home dehumidifier or humidifier can help keep home humidity balanced, and small portable units can handle trouble spots.

Keep Air Circulating

Stale air can be a nuisance, and circulating air will generally be flowing through an air filter in your home's HVAC system. The more your air is kept in motion, the cleaner you can get it. Whole-house ventilation options help bring in fresh air and exhaust old air, while a properly sized HVAC system or one with a variable-speed fan motor can keep the circulation more constant.

Improve Filtration and Air Cleaning

The HVAC system's air filter is a good first step in keeping your air clean, but it's not meant to improve whole-house air quality. Its main purpose is just to keep dust away from the inner workings of the HVAC system.

Upgrading the air filter to a higher MERV value will serve you well, but for the best indoor air cleaning, you should invest in a central air cleaner. These can be anything from a HEPA filtration device to a UV light installed in the HVAC system, sterilizing the air passing through it and destroying bacteria, mold spores and other organic threats.

To learn more about improving indoor air quality in your home, contact Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning today!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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One moment you’re basking in the cool comfort your A/C offers, and the next you’re breaking into a sweat wondering why your air conditioner isn’t working. If this sums up your situation, then chances are your A/C is tripping the circuit breaker.

There are plenty of reasons why this happens. The following offers three explanations that might help you get your A/C out of the hot seat.

The A/C’s Drawing More Power Than Usual

The circuit breaker is designed to trip if your A/C system happens to exceed the breaker’s rated amount of amps. In most cases, this happens when your A/C is working harder than usual to keep your home cool.

To take the load off of your cooling system, you can start by checking and changing the air filter. A dirty air filter restricts airflow and causes the blower fan and other A/C components to work harder and use more electricity in the process.

Next, you should make sure the evaporator and condenser coils are free of any debris or mold growth. Like the air filter, problems can result when the available flow of air is slow down or even entirely blocked. For other potential problem areas, such as a refrigerant leak, you should have your HVAC technician take a look instead.

It Might Not Be the A/C’s Fault at All

Wiring problems at the circuit breaker could be to blame for its malfunction. Loose electrical connections caused by improper installation or temperature-related expansion and contraction should be checked out, preferably by a qualified technician.

In many cases, it could be the circuit breaker itself that's at fault. If you notice that the circuit breaker looks or smells burnt or feels hot to the touch, you should have a licensed electrician replace the breaker.

If your A/C is tripping the circuit breaker, contact us at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning. We proudly provide a perfect balance of indoor comfort for Fort Collins residents.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Problems with the thermostat in your Fort Collins home can cause your HVAC system to stop working completely, or cause it to heat or cool ineffectively. Here are a few tips that can help you solve some of the most common thermostat problems and help you save on the cost of a service visit and repair.

HVAC System Won't Start

When the HVAC system won't run and there seems to be no power at the thermostat, try resetting the breakers for the system or replacing the batteries in the thermostat if it requires them.

If the system still won't start, turn off the power and carefully remove the thermostat's cover. Check for loose or dirty connections, and tighten or clean them if necessary. Also check for excessive accumulations of dust, pet hair, nicotine or other substances that could interfere with the mechanical contacts or electronic sensors. Use a soft brush or a rag to clean the inside and any external vents.

System Turns On and Off Frequently or Won't Shut Down

If your HVAC system is cycling frequently or won't turn off, make sure both the inside and outside of the thermostat are clean and free of debris. Use a level to make sure the thermostat is perfectly level and plumb. Mechanical models with mercury switches can malfunction if they aren't mounted properly.

Finally, try adjusting the anticipator switch, which is a metal tab mounted on a circular scale. It's used to determine how quickly the thermostat reacts to changing temperatures. Mark its current setting, adjust it, and wait a few hours before making any further adjustments.

Temperature Doesn't Match Thermostat Setting

If the temperature in your home doesn't match what the thermostat is set for, check to make sure the thermostat is clean and mounted correctly. Adjust the anticipator if necessary. Finally, make sure that the thermostat isn't located in a drafty or sunny location, which could cause it to sense the temperature improperly.

For more information about these thermostat problems, contact our team at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning. We proudly serve the Fort Collins area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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A building's load represents how much heating or cooling is required to keep the indoor environment at the temperature the occupants prefer. When calculating a building's cooling and heating loads, there are three types that should be taken into consideration: design load, extreme load and part load.

Cooling and heating loads are determined by assessing a building's structural and thermal characteristics, along with the occupants' stated temperature preferences. By knowing the building's load, your HVAC professional can accurately select heating and cooling equipment with the right functional capacity to provide the required comfort level. Load calculation standards, such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America's Manual J, "Residential Load Calculations," set out the methods for conducting these assessments and determining each load.

Design Load 

The design load is an assessment of the amount of heating and cooling needed based on the plans, specifications, drawings and other design elements of the building. It can also take into consideration local temperature and climate and other factors that could influence the amount of heating and cooling the building requires.

Extreme Load

Extreme loads represent the cooling and heating needs of a home or commercial building when the outdoor temperatures in the area reach their lowest or highest points of the year. Geographical areas of the country with consistent temperatures or relatively mild climates may not be as influenced by considerations for extreme loads. However, by knowing the extreme load for a structure, you and your HVAC professional will know how much heating and cooling will be needed during the most severe temperature extremes.

Part Load

Part loads are the conditions under which heating and cooling equipment will operate much of the time -- not at the highest or lowest limits suggested by either design or extreme loads, but at generally lower levels influenced by daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations and other conditions.

Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning serves the heating and cooling needs of customers in Fort Collins and neighboring Colorado communities. Contact us today for more information on cooling and heating loads and for expert help with determining these loads for your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about cooling and heating loads and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Central air conditioning systems, sometimes known as split systems, consist of two sets of components: one housed indoors and the other kept outside in a sturdy cabinet. These two collections of important parts are separate from each other, but they make up one entire system. When replacing your existing air conditioning system, both indoor and outdoor components should be replaced. Here are some reasons why replacing both the indoor and outdoor A/C units at the same time is beneficial.

Proper Function Requires Matched Units

Despite the fact that your central air conditioner consists of two distinct sets, the components in the two units are very carefully matched to ensure they work together properly. By replacing either the indoor or outdoor components alone, the matched operation will be compromised, and the unit won't work as effectively as before.

Mismatched Units Lead to Loss of Efficiency

Matching between the units is also vital for maintaining system efficiency. Modern high-efficiency air conditioning systems provide excellent cooling at a high efficiency rate that saves you money every month. If the efficiency rate drops because of mismatched units, you'll use more energy and your cooling bills will increase.

New and Old May Not Work Well Together

Air conditioner technology has advanced significantly over the last few years. If you're replacing some part of your A/C, it's likely it's an older system. This means that replacing only the indoor or outdoor unit is putting an older, less effective part into a new high-performance system. It's possible that older A/C components may not work at all with half of a newer set.

New Warranties Give You Peace of Mind

Replacing indoor and outdoor components of the A/C system give you a new warranty that covers both parts.

Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning provides top-quality HVAC sales, installation, maintenance and repair, to customers in Fort Collins and the neighboring Colorado communities for years. Contact us today for more information on split-system air conditioners and reasons for replacing both the indoor and outdoor A/C unit when installing a new system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about A/C units and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Adequate ventilation is crucial for maintaining good indoor air quality in your Fort Collins home. If you live in an old Victorian home near Old Town, ventilation may not be an issue unless you've done extensive renovations that have tightened up your home to modern energy efficiency standards. On the other hand, if you live in a tight new home built with energy efficiency in mind, you may need a ventilation system to keep sufficient fresh air moving into your home. HRV and ERV systems may be among the choice your HVAC contractor mentions when you're planning the best way to ventilate your home.

What Are HRV and ERV Systems?

Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV) are both ventilation systems that keep the flow of fresh air entering your home balanced with the volume of stale air leaving your home.

An HRV system introduces fresh air from outside into your home's living spaces while exhausting stale air from areas like the bathrooms and kitchen. In an HRV system, the incoming and outgoing air streams don't mix.

An ERV system is similar to an HRV system,except that it mixes a small portion of the incoming and outgoing air in order to maintain correct humidity levels inside the home.

Which Ventilation System Is Best for My Home? 

ERVs are most effective at reducing indoor humidity in humid climates, so they may not be useful in a typical home in the Fort Collins area, since excessive indoor humidity is rarely a problem in our semi-arid climate. However, if you live in a small space with several people and a large number of house plants, an ERV may be a good choice for you.

There are several other choices besides HRV and ERV systems for providing adequate home ventilation. Since every home is unique, your best bet is to ask the HVAC pros at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning for their help in choosing and installing a ventilation system in your Fort Collins home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Scheduling annual maintenance appointments for your air conditioner is vital for to ensure the system stays in optimal condition for as long as possible. An A/C that's well cared for experiences fewer breakdowns and is also more energy efficient, which means your monthly utility costs will be less. Your home will feel more comfortable and your indoor air quality will be healthier. When considering all these benefits, it's easy to see why regular tune-ups should be high on your priority list. Learn more about A/C maintenance and what to expect during your appointment.

Inspecting the A/C Components

Your HVAC contractor will examine all the nooks and crannies of the system to make sure each component is operating as it should be. The refrigerant level will be adjusted, if needed, and any parts that need to be fixed or replaced will be taken care of. If major repair work is needed, that will likely be scheduled for another visit. The air filter will also be changed or cleaned.

Making Sure the A/C Is Working Safely

The electrical components will be looked at and tightened, and all the controls will be checked to ensure everything's in safe and proper working order. Lubrication will be added to the moving parts to prevent friction, which can drain energy if left unattended.

Cleaning the Unit

During the inspection, your contractor will remove any dust and debris from the system. While you're able to do some basic cleaning yourself, a professional can get those hard-to-reach areas that need attention. This will help protect the various parts of the cooling system, promote greater airflow and make for a more efficient air conditioner.

Answering Questions and Providing a Detailed Report

At the end of the appointment, your HVAC contractor should ask you if you have any questions. Everything that was done should be explained to you, and you should receive a written report that details everything that was performed.

For more information on A/C maintenance, us at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning anytime. We proudly serve the Fort Collins area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Summers in the Fort Collins area can get toasty, and with the hot weather comes increased heat gain and household cooling costs. The good news is that you can reduce your dependency on your air conditioner by taking some relatively simple and low cost steps. Doing so not only results in greater energy savings, but also will make your living space feel more comfortable. Learn more about summer heat gain and effective ways to control it. 

What Is Heat Gain?

Heat gain is the additional heat your home takes on from a variety of sources. The sun's warmth comes in through windows and skylights. Heat also enters by conduction through areas such as your ceilings and walls. People inside your home give off heat and moisture as well. Heat levels also rise when hot outdoor air finds access inside, while cooled indoor air leaks out. When moist outside air comes inside and dry indoor air exits, your home will also feel hotter.

The following tips will help bring down the amount of heat gained throughout your home:

• Windows: Nearly half of a home's heat gain occurs through windows. Use trees, awnings, shade screens and the like on the outside of your house to block sunlight through exposed windows. Blinds, curtains and shutters can be used inside. These should be closed during the day, but opened back up at night. Install energy efficient windows when it's time for an upgrade.
• The shell: Your home's exterior absorbs a good deal of outside heat and transfers it inside. Combat this effect with adequate insulation in your attic and walls. Any air leaks should be sealed with weatherstripping and caulking.
• Heat sources from inside: Cooking, showering, using appliances and other activities can also increase warmth. Avoid doing these tasks during the day.
• Attic ventilation: Make sure you have adequate attic ventilation to stop heat in your attic from infiltrating your living area.

For more tips on reducing summer heat gain, please contact us at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning. We proudly serve the Fort Collins area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat gain and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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If you’re like a lot of homeowners, your central air conditioning is something you only think about when problems start to arise. Understanding the principles behind air conditioning can help you recognize why regular A/C maintenance is so important and provide you with the ability to troubleshoot problems. The refrigeration cycle is at the heart of A/C technology.

The Refrigeration Cycle

Refrigerant is a chemical compound that easily changes between liquid and gas and boils at an extremely low temperature. These characteristics allow refrigerant to remove heat from the air when converting to gas and release it back into the air when converting back to liquid.

In a common split-system air conditioner, liquid refrigerant is pumped inside the house and through the evaporator coil. Warm inside air is blown over the evaporator coil. When this happens, the refrigerant removes heat energy from the surrounding air as it changes from a liquid to a gas. The subtraction of heat creates cool air, which is then circulated through the house.

The A/C then pumps the gaseous refrigerant to the outside unit, usually set on a hard base beside the house. The compressor puts the gas under pressure, which increases the temperature of the refrigerant even more. The gas then travels to the condenser where another phase of heat exchange occurs during which heat energy is expelled from the refrigerant and dispersed into the surrounding air. The refrigerant then travels to the expansion valve where the pressure decreases, cooling the refrigerant and turning it back into a liquid so the process can start all over again.

This is the basic process by which all A/C systems, whether central or ductless, cool indoor spaces. Electric heat pumps work the same way when operating in cooling mode.

For more information on how the refrigeration cycle keeps your Fort Collins home cool and comfortable, please contact us at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about refrigeration cycles and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Leaky ducts can result in substantial energy loss and force your HVAC equipment to work harder than necessary. That's not the only issue with bad ducts. Indoor air quality also can suffer when ductwork isn't tightly connected or sealed. The following are four ways leaky ducts can erode the air quality in your Fort Collins home.

Polluted Air Can Infiltrate Compromised Ducts

In many homes, ducts run through unconditioned areas such as crawl spaces, basements, attached garages and wall cavities. The air in these areas is often clammy and full of contaminants picked up from those locations or outside. Because of leaks or broken connections in the ducts, that dirty air gets drawn in, mixing with conditioned air and eventually circulating with household air.

Unbalanced Airflow Pulls Polluted Air Into the House

If the supply and return sides of your home's air delivery system aren't balanced, dirty air can get sucked into the ducts and compromise the quality of conditioned air delivered to rooms. This happens when supply ductwork leaks air before it arrives in a particular room or area. This creates negative air pressure in relation to the return ductwork serving that room. As a result, the pressure equalizes with dirty air sucked in from outside areas.

Backdrafting Can Occur 

This happens when fumes and gases exhausted from combustion appliances such as a gas furnace or water heater get drawn back into the home via leaky ductwork. This poses a substantial risk to you and your families health and can be lethal if carbon monoxide is involved.

Leaky Ducts Can Promote Indoor Humidity

Just as dirty air can get drawn into leaky ductwork, moisture-laden air can enter household air circulation through bad ducts. This reduces comfort and makes air conditioning work harder to dry out the air.

For a professional duct inspectio, with improved energy efficiency and indoor air quality, please contact us at Balance Point Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality HVAC services to homeowners in the Fort Collins area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Fort Collins, Colorado and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ducts and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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