Seasonal HVAC Tune-Ups in Littleton

Arapaho Hills homes, listed on the National Register as a mid-century modern neighborhood, have low-pitched roofs, open plans, and limited space for mechanical equipment. Furnaces may be in tight closets or crawlspaces where access and combustion air need attention. We take extra care with clearances and look for duct runs through slab or crawlspace that may have separated over the decades.

In homes from this era, AC is usually on its second or third outdoor unit. The spring visit includes cleaning the condenser coil from the inside out, testing the capacitor, contactor, and fan motor, checking refrigerant charge by superheat or subcooling, and flushing the condensate drain. If the unit still uses R-22, we will tell you, since that refrigerant is no longer produced and leaks get costly.

Cottonwoods along the South Platte and its tributaries shed fluff in late spring that clogs coils, and spring hail bends fins. We check for both.

At about 5,400 feet, gas furnaces should be derated roughly 22 percent from their sea-level rating. We compare manifold pressure with the manufacturer's high-altitude table and inspect the flame and burners. An over-fired furnace runs hot and stresses the heat exchanger; an under-fired one can condense in its vent.

Littleton homes with original small returns are often running a filter that is too restrictive or does not fit its slot. We check fit and measure static pressure before recommending anything stronger; during wildfire smoke, EPA recommends MERV 13 where the system can handle it. Furnace-mounted humidifiers get a new water panel if you have one, plus a check of the valve and drain. After each Littleton visit you receive written readings and findings, and any repair is priced in writing before work starts.

Many homes with a Littleton mailing address, such as those in Columbine and Ken Caryl, are in unincorporated county areas. That makes no difference for a tune-up, only for permits when equipment is replaced. Book heating service in September, before the first freeze that Denver-area records average around October 7, and cooling service in April or May. Our full tune-up checklist shows what each visit covers.