HVAC Repair in Visalia, CA
Homes here need heat from October through May and cooling from June through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Tulare County will get in touch.
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Twelve months of work, most of it at the edges
Tulare County asks for heat from October through May and cooling from June through September. That leaves almost no month where the system just sits. Winter nights average 31°F, cold enough that a gas furnace cycles on and off for hours at a stretch, and summer afternoons average 84°F, so the condenser is working most days it runs.
All that cycling is what wears out an igniter or a capacitor before their time. Two thirds of homes here heat with gas, which means the burner assembly is doing the work most winters. Over the past ten years this area has seen 149 winter storms and 191 damaging wind events, and outdoor units left running through that kind of weather wear faster than they would somewhere calmer. When the power goes out, and it has for a meaningful share of California households in the past year, a system that was already close to failing may not come back on right.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 4 months
- June through September, it cools
- 31°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 84°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $140 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Tulare County home.
Estimates for a typical Tulare 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 that license, and the license belongs to the contractor, not to any one job. The same license that qualifies someone to install a heating and cooling system also qualifies them to repair one.
For a repair on this page, that license is what stands behind the work. It covers the contractor doing the job, not a separate check on this particular repair.
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, or the gas supply. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and set above room temperature, since a setting bumped a degree or two is easy to miss. Next check the breaker for the furnace, since a tripped breaker will stop it cold even if the thermostat looks fine. If you have a gas furnace, check that the gas valve is open and any pilot light is lit. Winters here run 8 months with nights averaging 31°F, so a furnace that will not start is worth sorting out fast. If those checks do not fix it, the igniter or flame sensor may need a look from a contractor.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower runs but the air is not cold, the most common cause is a dirty filter choking off airflow or low refrigerant from a leak. Start with the filter. A filter clogged with dust makes the whole system work harder and can freeze the coil, which then blows warm air until it thaws. Check the outdoor unit too, since leaves or debris packed against it will keep it from releasing heat. Summer afternoons here average 84°F, so a system that is not actually cooling needs attention before it gets pushed hard for weeks. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is clear, the problem is likely refrigerant or a part inside the system, and that calls for a licensed contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Make sure it is set to the right mode, the temperature is where you want it, and the batteries are not dead. Then check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker, since that alone stops a system with no other warning. Look at the air filter and replace it if it is gray or clogged, since restricted airflow causes problems that look like bigger failures. If you have a gas furnace, confirm the gas valve is open. For central air, check that the outdoor unit is not blocked by plants or debris. If everything there checks out and the system still is not working right, it is time to call a licensed contractor. California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license through the Contractors State License Board, so ask for that license number before work starts.