HVAC Repair in Santa Maria, CA
Homes here need heat from November through May and cooling from July through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Santa Barbara County will get in touch.
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Ten months of work, most of it heating
Your furnace is the one earning its keep here. Heat runs from November through May, seven months, and on nights that average 40°F it cycles on and off for hours at a stretch. Almost 7 in 10 homes in the county heat with gas, and each cycle means the igniter lighting the burner again. When an igniter wears out, the burner won't light at all, and you notice because the house stays cold no matter what the thermostat says.
Cooling has a shorter job, July through September, with afternoons around 81°F. That's still three months of a compressor and condenser fan working through the heat, and either one giving out means the air stops getting cold even though the system still runs. The county has also logged 32 damaging wind events over the past ten years, enough to cut power, and a system won't start back up on its own until someone resets it.
- 7 months
- November through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- July through September, it cools
- 40°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 81°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $90 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Santa Barbara County home.
Estimates for a typical Santa Barbara 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 tests contractors before it issues a C-20 license, and it keeps a record of every one it grants. That license belongs to the contractor, not to a single job, so the same license that covers a new installation covers a repair call.
For a repair to a heating and cooling system, that license is the thing standing behind the work. The board has already tested the contractor and has a record of the license before the first call is made.
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. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and above room temperature, and that a breaker hasn't tripped. If you have a gas furnace, look for a pilot light or igniter that isn't lighting, since that will shut the whole system down. A dirty filter can also block airflow badly enough that the furnace overheats and cuts off as a safety measure. Nights here average 40°F through the winter, so a furnace that won't stay lit needs a contractor licensed by the state to look at the ignition system.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The blower running without cool air usually points to the refrigerant side, not the fan. Start with the filter. If it's clogged, airflow drops and the coil can freeze over, and a frozen coil blows warm air even though the system is on. Check the outdoor unit too, since a condenser coil packed with dirt or leaves can't release heat properly. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is clear, the system may be low on refrigerant, and that's a repair for a licensed contractor, not something to add on your own.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Make sure it's set correctly and the batteries aren't dead, since a blank or unresponsive display stops everything downstream. Next check the breaker box for a tripped switch and the filter for buildup, since both cause problems that look like bigger failures than they are. If you have a gas furnace, check whether the pilot or igniter is working. If all of that looks fine and the system still isn't heating or cooling, a licensed contractor will need to diagnose it, and the specific fix and price will depend on what they find.