Seasonal HVAC Tune-Ups in Berthoud

If your home or equipment is recent, check that it was registered. Both Trane and Lennox require registration within 60 days, and for new construction Lennox measures from the closing date. Model and serial numbers go into your report.

Registered equipment usually carries a longer parts warranty than unregistered equipment. If you bought a resale home in Heron Lakes or Westside Crossing, the original owner may or may not have registered it, and transfer rules vary by manufacturer, so it's worth checking now rather than when a part fails.

In older houses, we test draft and carbon monoxide at the furnace and water heater, inspect the flue connector and chimney base, check combustion air in basements and crawlspaces, and look at gas connectors and shutoffs. If central air was added later, the spring visit checks the coil and airflow carefully, since retrofitted systems often run with marginal returns.

Houses in the old town have often had several heating systems. If a gas line was extended over the years, or a coal or oil chimney was repurposed for gas, we note what we see. An older furnace may still run well, and the report tells you how it looks so you can plan instead of reacting to a failure.

Dust from building sites and landscaping coats condenser coils. Our spring visit cleans the outdoor coil, tests the capacitor and contactor, tightens electrical connections, checks refrigerant readings and the temperature drop across the indoor coil, and clears the condensate drain. On patio homes and townhomes, we check that the condenser isn't boxed in by screens or walls. Hail is common on this part of the Front Range, so we also look for flattened coil fins and dents and note any damage for your records, which can help if you file an insurance claim on a Berthoud home.

Check filters monthly while construction is active nearby. When smoke drifts in from wildfires, the EPA points to MERV 13 filters for systems that can take them. Newer homes are built tight and may rely on a continuous fan or ventilator for fresh air; we check that it is working and its filters are clean.

Dry winters along the northern Front Range also mean many furnaces carry a humidifier. Each fall we replace the pad, check the valve and drain, and set the humidistat so windows don't fog. We also confirm the thermostat is configured for the equipment it controls.

Colorado's CO alarm statute requires an alarm within 15 feet of each bedroom entrance when a home with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage sells or gets permitted appliance work. Early fall is the time for heating service, and April or May for cooling. Tune-ups need no permit; replacements go through the Town of Berthoud Building Department. Our tune-up checklist describes every step.