HVAC Repair in San Diego, CA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from June through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers San Diego County will get in touch.
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San Diego asks for heat or cooling ten months of the year
Winter nights here average 41°F, and the furnace has to fire up night after night from November through April to keep up. Each start puts wear on the igniter and the burner. When one of those parts finally gives out, the system stops producing heat and the house cools off fast on a 41 degree night.
Summer afternoons average 89°F, and the air conditioner runs hard through June to September trying to keep the house down to that. The compressor and the fan motor take the strain of that heat, and a system already worn from six months of winter use has less left to give. More than half the homes here heat with gas, and San Diego County has seen 31 winter storms and 370 damaging wind events over the past ten years. When the power drops after one of those storms, a furnace that depends on it to start won't come back on its own.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 4 months
- June through September, it cools
- 41°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 89°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $130 a year off heating and cooling for a typical San Diego County home.
Estimates for a typical San Diego 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 license is issued to the contractor, not to the job. It covers the person or business doing the work, not this particular repair, so the same license that lets a contractor install a system is what lets them repair one.
For this repair, that license is what stands behind the work. It comes from the Contractors State License Board, the state agency that licenses HVAC contractors in California.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to the thermostat, the power to the unit, or the igniter. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature first, since that gets missed more than people expect. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker and any switch that looks like a light switch near the furnace, since that cuts power to the unit. Gas furnaces also have an igniter that wears out over time, and when it fails the furnace will run air but never light. A licensed contractor can test the igniter and the gas valve to find out which one it is.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If air is moving but it is not cold, the problem is usually a dirty filter, low refrigerant, or a frozen coil. A clogged filter blocks airflow across the coil, and when that happens the coil can ice over and stop cooling the air even though the blower keeps running. Check the filter first since that is something you can see and replace yourself. If the filter is clean and the air still is not cold, the system likely has a refrigerant leak or a coil problem, and that needs a licensed contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to the mode you want, heat or cool, and that the temperature you set is actually past the room's current temperature. Next check the breaker box for a tripped breaker, and look for any power switch near the indoor or outdoor unit that may have been bumped off. Check the air filter and replace it if it looks dark or clogged, since restricted airflow causes problems in both heating and cooling. If the outdoor unit is not running, make sure nothing is blocking it and that leaves or debris have not built up around it. If all of that checks out and the system still is not working right, it is time to call a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board.