Furnace Repair in Columbus, MT
Furnaces here run from September through June. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Stillwater County will get in touch.
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Ten months of heat, and nights near 15 below zero
Your furnace runs September through June here, ten months out of the year. On winter nights that average 15°F, it cycles on and off for hours at a stretch trying to hold the house steady. Almost half the homes in this area heat with gas, and every one of those furnaces depends on an igniter that has to fire correctly, over and over, through the coldest stretch of the year. That kind of steady demand is what wears an igniter down until it stops lighting the burner at all.
Montana sees hard winter storms often, and when the wind knocks out power, some homes go a full day or more without it. A gas furnace still needs electricity to run its blower and controls, so when the power drops in weather this cold, the house cools fast, and the furnace has to come back on and prove itself the moment the lights do.
- 10 months
- September through June, your furnace is on duty
- 15°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 160 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace would cut about $80 a year off heating for a typical Stillwater County home.
Estimates for a typical Stillwater County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Montana fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound.
Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked or the furnace keeps needing parts.
Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Montana licenses HVAC contractors through the Department of Labor and Industry, and the license is held by the contractor, not issued job by job. It's on file with the state, meaning the contractor was tested and can be checked against that record. Work under $2,500 falls outside that requirement, so a smaller furnace repair may not need a licensed contractor at all, depending on the bill.
A furnace repair that runs above that amount is covered by the license, and that license is what stands behind the work in Montana. Close to half the homes in Stillwater County heat with gas, so this kind of repair comes up often enough that the state has settled who is allowed to do it.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Most often the thermostat isn't calling for heat the way you think it is, or power to the furnace has been interrupted. Check that the thermostat is set below room temperature and has fresh batteries if it uses them. Next, check the furnace switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit, and the breaker at your panel. If those are fine, the igniter or a safety switch inside the furnace may be at fault, and that calls for a contractor to open it up and test it.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- A furnace that runs but blows cold air usually hasn't ignited the gas even though the blower is going. This can mean the igniter isn't glowing hot enough to light the burners, or the flame sensor is shutting the burners off right after they light. A dirty filter can also cause the furnace to overheat and shut the burners down while the blower keeps running to cool things off. Replace the filter first if it's been a while, and if the air stays cold, have a contractor check the igniter and flame sensor.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- If the pilot won't stay lit, the thermocouple is likely worn out and no longer holding the gas valve open once you let go. A draft blowing out the flame is also possible, so check for airflow near the pilot chamber. Buildup on the pilot orifice can make the flame too small or the wrong shape to heat the thermocouple properly. A worn thermocouple is a simple part for a contractor to replace, and it's worth doing before winter, since your furnace here needs to run from September through June.