HVAC Repair in Billings, MT
Homes here need heat from September through May and cooling from July through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Yellowstone County will get in touch.
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Nine months of heat, two months of cooling, and wind in between
Your furnace is the machine that matters most here. It runs from September through May, and on nights that average 16°F it cycles on and off for hours at a stretch. Every start is a strain on the igniter and the blower motor, and those parts wear down faster the more nights fall near zero. When the igniter finally gives out, the furnace won't light at all.
Summer asks less, just July and August, but afternoons near 83°F still push the air conditioner hard on the days it runs. The bigger risk in Yellowstone County is what comes with the weather in between. The area has seen 154 damaging wind events and 17 winter storms over the past ten years, and outages follow. Close to 18% of Montana households went at least 24 hours without power last year. Most furnaces and air conditioners come back on their own once power returns, but a hard shutdown during a cold snap is still a shock to a system that was already working hard.
- 9 months
- September through May, your system heats
- 2 months
- July through August, it cools
- 16°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 83°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 Yellowstone County home.
Estimates for a typical Yellowstone 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.
Replacement makes sense when the furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, the air conditioner's compressor has failed, or repairs keep coming.
Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Montana licenses HVAC contractors through the Department of Labor and Industry. The state tests and records the contractor, not each job, so the license is tied to the person or business doing the work rather than to your furnace or your address. There is one carve-out. Work under $2,500 does not need a licensed contractor at all.
A repair on a heating and cooling system can fall on either side of that line depending on what it costs to fix. Above $2,500, the contractor working on your system should hold that state license, and that license is what stands behind the job. Below it, Montana does not require one, even though the work being done is the same kind of work either way.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat and the power to the furnace. If the thermostat screen is blank, check the breaker and any switch that looks like a light switch near the furnace, since that shuts it off for service. If power is fine, listen for the furnace trying to start. A furnace that clicks a few times and stops is usually failing to light, which often means the igniter or the flame sensor needs attention. A furnace that does not respond at all can be a thermostat problem or a blown fuse on the control board. With winter nights here averaging 16°F, this isn't something to leave for long. A licensed contractor can tell you which part failed once they're on site.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the fan is running but the air isn't cold, check the outdoor unit first. A coil packed with dirt or grass clippings, or a fan that isn't spinning outside, keeps the system from releasing heat, so it can't cool the air inside no matter how long it runs. Next check the filter. A clogged filter cuts off airflow and the coil inside can ice over, which also leaves you with warm air blowing. If the outdoor unit is clean and running and the filter is fresh, the system may be low on refrigerant, and that's a repair a licensed contractor needs to handle.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings and its batteries first. A thermostat set to the wrong mode or with dead batteries looks exactly like a broken system. Next check the breaker for the furnace or air conditioner, and any power switch near the unit itself. Then pull the filter and look at it. If it's gray and packed with dust, replace it, since a blocked filter can cause problems that look like bigger failures. If the system still isn't working after that, it's time to call a licensed contractor, and telling them what you already checked will help them get to the actual problem faster.