HVAC Repair in Oakland, CA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from July through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Alameda County will get in touch.
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Nine months of work a year, most of it in the cold
Your furnace is the one working here. November through April, six months, and winter nights average 41°F, so the burner is cycling on and off most evenings to keep up. Most homes in Alameda County heat with gas, and each start puts a little more wear on the igniter. When it finally gives out, the furnace won't light at all and the house stays cold.
Summer is short but the afternoons still hit 82°F, so the air conditioner has three months to earn its keep after sitting idle. A compressor that has been off for months is more likely to struggle the first hot week it runs. On top of that, this area sees its share of damaging wind, 166 events over the past ten years, and outages that follow. Most systems come back on their own once power returns, but if yours doesn't restart, that's worth a call.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 3 months
- July through September, it cools
- 41°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 82°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $100 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Alameda County home.
Estimates for a typical Alameda County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, California fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, the air conditioner's compressor has failed, or repairs keep coming.
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Contractors State License Board issues that license. It's a state record tied to the contractor, not to any one job, so the same license covers the work whether it's a small repair or a full system replacement.
For a repair on your heating and cooling system, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work, not any paper issued for this particular job. That's the protection this state gives you, and it comes from the contractor holding a valid license in the first place.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to power, gas, or airflow. If your thermostat screen is blank, check the breaker first. If the furnace runs but no warm air comes out, the igniter or flame sensor is a common culprit, and neither is something to test yourself. A dirty filter can also starve the system enough that it shuts itself off before the house warms up. With nights averaging 41°F here in the winter, it's worth getting this looked at quickly rather than waiting.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the fan is on but the air isn't cold, the system likely isn't finishing the cooling cycle. A dirty filter or blocked return can choke off airflow enough that the coil freezes up, and once that happens you'll get warm air until it thaws. Low refrigerant from a leak causes the same symptom, but that's not something to check yourself. Also check the outdoor unit. If the fan out there isn't spinning, the compressor may not be running either.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to heat or cool as needed and the batteries aren't dead. Check the breaker panel for anything tripped, and pull the filter to see if it's gray with dust. Look at the outdoor unit too. If leaves or debris are packed around it, clear them, since that alone can stop a system from working right. If all of that checks out and the system still isn't doing its job, a licensed contractor will need to look at what's inside.