Preparing Your Air Conditioner for Winter in Fort Collins: A Comprehensive Guide

As wintertime rolls around, it’s time to start preparing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for the changing weather. Your air conditioner will not be used for an extended period of time, so a little preparation now saves money later. The right winter air conditioner preparation can prevent corrosion, pest damage, and unexpected repairs.

With the help of Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, you can get a maintenance inspection for your HVAC system. One thing worth settling before you start: the most common piece of winterization advice online, wrapping the outdoor unit in a cover, is the one step that can cause the damage it claims to prevent. Step 2 below explains what to do instead.

Winterizing Your Air Conditioner: A Complete Guide for Fort Collins Homeowners

Before cold weather arrives, take some time to clean your air conditioner, change the thermostat, and replace your filters. With a few simple steps, you can reduce the impact of Colorado’s cold, arid climate on your AC. A well-maintained AC can last for 15 to 20 years, so the right maintenance tasks can save you money on AC replacements and repairs in the long run.

Why Winterizing Your AC Is Essential in Fort Collins

Winters here are cold and dry rather than cold and wet, and that shapes what actually threatens an outdoor unit over the off-season. Snow load and freezing temperatures are rarely the problem. Debris, pests, and moisture that cannot escape are. Four issues account for most off-season damage:

• Mildew and mold growth
• Damaged components
• Debris accumulation
• Nesting by rodents, insects, and pests

Besides damaging the components, moisture that sits against cold metal without drying can lead to the development of mold, mildew, and rust. Over time, these issues can end up causing added repair costs and shorten the life of the unit.

A proper winterization visit helps you prevent major damage to your air conditioning unit. During our maintenance inspection, we will discuss what your unit needs before the season and any necessary repairs.

Top Steps To Winterize Your Air Conditioner in Fort Collins

In Fort Collins, winters bring a substantial amount of snow, and it arrives in bursts rather than steadily. If your air conditioner is not properly protected, it can become damaged. These seven steps protect your AC from breakdowns, save money on repairs, and ensure it is ready when summer rolls around next year.

Step 1: Clean and Clear the Area Around Your AC

To get started on your seasonal AC maintenance, clean the outside of the unit. Remove any bugs, dirt, or debris that you see.

After cleaning off the area, spend some time weeding and cleaning around the unit. Any debris or plant matter can get into the AC and cause it to malfunction. As a part of the winter preparation, you should clear away 2 to 3 feet of space around the unit.

Step 2: Do Not Wrap Your Unit. Do This Instead

This is where most winterization advice goes wrong, including advice from people who should know better.

Outdoor condensers are engineered to sit outside through winter. Wrapping one in a full cover or a tarp does not keep moisture out; it keeps moisture in, holding condensation against cold metal where it accelerates rust rather than preventing it. A sealed cover also creates a dark, sheltered cavity that is considerably more attractive to nesting rodents than a bare unit is. Mice chew wiring and insulation, and that bill is larger than anything a winter would have cost you.

If your unit sits under a tree, under a roofline that sheds ice, or anywhere debris collects, a top-only cover is the right answer. A breathable panel or a weighted piece of plywood across the top sheds falling leaves and ice while leaving all four sides open so air moves and the coil dries.

Two rules if you use one. Buy or cut something sized to your unit rather than using a tarp, and take it off at the first warm spell in spring. A unit left covered into May will run with restricted airflow on the first hot day, which is how fan motors burn out.

Step 2a: Shut off power at the disconnect. Most central air conditioners have a disconnect box on the wall beside the outdoor unit. Switching it off for the season stops the system from starting up on an unseasonably warm January afternoon, which draws refrigerant in conditions the compressor is not built for. If you have a heat pump rather than an air conditioner, do not do this. The same outdoor unit is heating your home all winter.

Step 3: Adjust and Test Your Thermostat for Winter

Your thermostat is an integral part of your HVAC system. One of the best AC winter care tips is to simply check your thermostat. Before the weather cools off, you need to switch your thermostat from AC mode to heating mode.

To improve your home’s energy efficiency, try getting a smart thermostat installed. On average, a smart thermostat saves homeowners 8% of their heating and cooling bills each year.

You can also reduce your energy costs by gradually lowering the temperature as you acclimate to colder weather. For example, you may start with the temperature at 74°F. After a week, you can lower it to 72°F. Then, you can wait another week before lowering the temperature again. The Department of Energy recommends 68°F as a winter setpoint while you are home and awake, and lower overnight.

Step 4: Complete Any Necessary Repairs Before Winter

If you have been delaying repairs because you want to keep using your AC, it’s time to schedule your next inspection. At Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we recommend scheduling two maintenance inspections a year. You should get your heating inspection completed before winter sets in.

During your fall maintenance check, you can bring up any problems you have been having with your AC. For example, unusual sounds and smells indicate a problem. From time to time, you should also get the ducts inspected so that any cracks can be properly sealed up.

The fall changeover is really one job covering two systems, so it is worth pairing this with the heating side. Our furnace tune-up checklist covers what that visit should include.

Step 5: Insulate Your AC Pipes Against Freezing

A technician can insulate the exposed refrigerant lines during your visit. Normally, a foam pipe cover is placed around the tubing, which protects the copper tubing. To ensure this cover does not come off, use zip ties to attach it.

Step 6: Replace Air Filters for Improved Efficiency

Air filters are an important component in your HVAC system. They filter out dust, dirt, and pollution so that these elements stay out of the rest of your unit. If the air filter isn’t changed in a timely manner, it can cause your evaporator coil to become dirty. Your AC is also more likely to freeze.

Start the season with a clean filter. Most manufacturers recommend that this activity should be performed every 30 to 90 days. Switching out a clogged filter can improve your HVAC system’s efficiency by up to 5% – 15%.

Step 7: Schedule a Winterization Maintenance Inspection

The last step is the one that catches what the first six cannot. A maintenance inspection ensures your AC is fully cleaned, repaired, lubricated, and ready for wintertime. During a routine maintenance inspection, we will perform the following activities.

• Check and clean refrigerant lines, blower, fuses, drain, and connections.
• Lubricate moving parts.
• Recommend any necessary repairs.
• Perform any necessary adjustments.

By performing some simple maintenance tasks before winter sets in, you can ensure your air conditioner will be ready to use by springtime. When spring arrives, our guide to getting your AC ready for summer in Northern Colorado covers the other half of the cycle.

How Does Fort Collins’ Winter Impact Your AC’s Maintenance Needs?

December is typically the coldest month of the year here, with overnight lows well below freezing and daytime highs that often stay in the forties.

Prevent Snow Damage

While Fort Collins is often dry, it does receive a significant amount of snowfall. Snow itself rarely damages a condenser. The concern is ice building on the fan grille and debris arriving with the melt, which is what a top-only cover addresses and a full wrap does not.

Avoid Wind Damage

Fort Collins is also known for its Chinook winds. This type of wind is warm and dry. Once the Chinook winds arrive, they can melt snow quickly. The resulting moisture can cause as much damage to your AC as the wind itself.

This is precisely why wrapping the unit is the wrong response. A Chinook produces meltwater, and a sealed cover holds that water against the coil instead of letting it run off and dry. An uncovered or top-covered unit sheds it in hours. Chinooks also carry dust and grit, so clearing debris from around the unit after a warm, windy stretch is worth doing.

Chinook winds can harm your AC in other ways as well. They can gradually loosen components. If these components are not tightened, it can cause added wear and tear

Choosing a Maintenance Plan for Fort Collins’ Cold Season

With winter just around the corner, it is crucial to ensure your heating system is ready to handle the colder temperatures ahead. At Balance Point Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing, we can determine the best AC maintenance plan for your needs. Seasonal maintenance in the fall is especially important to prepare your heater for the demanding winter months while also wrapping up any lingering AC issues before they are forgotten until next summer.

For those with older HVAC units, fall maintenance is even more critical. Aging systems tend to require more frequent inspections to prevent unexpected breakdowns during peak winter usage. If you have experienced recurring issues with your AC throughout the summer, now is the perfect time to address them and ensure your overall system operates seamlessly when you need it most.

A fall inspection lets you spot repair issues before they spiral out of control, and going into winter knowing both systems have been checked is a reasonable amount of peace of mind. To make maintenance inspections more convenient and affordable, we offer a whole home comfort plan. When you sign up for your membership plan, you can enjoy a number of important benefits.

• No breakdown guarantee
• Prioritized services
• One-year warranty on all of our work
• Spring AC maintenance
• Fall heating maintenance
• 10% discount on all of your repair needs
• 24-hour emergency services
• Friends & Family Member Benefits
• Humidifier services
• Exclusive promotions throughout the year

Get Expert Help Winterizing Your AC in Fort Collins and Surrounding Areas

Winterizing an air conditioner is mostly a matter of doing a few simple things and avoiding one common mistake. Spend some time cleaning your outdoor unit and clearing debris from the area around it. Replace your air filter and check the thermostat. Leave the unit uncovered, or use a breathable top-only cover if debris or falling ice is a real risk where it sits.

If you notice any repair issues, our team can help. Our technicians can winterize your air conditioner and let you know if there are any faulty components. Then, we can quickly carry out the necessary repairs before you turn your AC off for the season.

Learn more about Balance Point’s range of services by filling out our online form or giving us a call today.