HVAC Repair in Ennis, MT
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Madison County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of heat, one cold reason to worry
In Ennis your furnace works almost year round. Heat runs from August through June, and on the coldest nights it's cycling on and off against a low near 14 degrees. That kind of cold puts real strain on the igniter and the heat exchanger, the parts carrying the load every time the burner fires. Summer asks almost nothing back, afternoons average just 73 degrees, so the system gets little rest before winter starts again.
Nearly half the homes here heat with propane, and a propane furnace depends on a steady fuel supply and a clean burner to light right every time. Montana sees its share of winter storms and damaging wind, and last year 18% of households in the state lost power for at least a day. When the power drops on a cold night, the furnace stops with it, and a home that depends on it can cool off fast.
- 11 months
- August through June, your system heats
- 14°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 73°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $200 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Madison County home.
Estimates for a typical Madison 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.
The license is held by the contractor, not issued job by job. Montana's Department of Labor and Industry tests the contractor and keeps that record on file. Work under $2,500 is the one exception. Below that line, the job does not need a licensed contractor at all.
For a heating and cooling repair, that license is what stands behind the work once the job is above the $2,500 line. It means the person doing the repair was tested by the state and is on record there. Below that line, Montana leaves the job without that requirement.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to heat and the temperature is set above room temperature, since a setting bumped a degree or two can look like a dead system. If the thermostat is fine, check the breaker for the furnace and, on a gas furnace, make sure the gas valve is open. Winter nights here average 14°F, so a furnace that won't come back on needs attention the same day, not next week. If nothing you check brings it back on, that points to something like the igniter or a safety switch, and that's a job for a licensed contractor.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A clogged filter blocks airflow across the coil, and the air coming out of the vents will feel weak or barely cool even though the system is running. Check that all the supply vents in the house are open and not blocked by furniture or rugs. If the filter is clean and the vents are open and you're still not getting cool air, the system needs a contractor to look at it, since that usually means something inside the unit itself isn't working right.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings first, since it's set to the wrong mode or has a dead battery more often than people expect. Check the breaker box to see if a breaker tripped. Check that the filter isn't clogged, since a dirty filter can make a system struggle without anything being broken. Look at the vents and make sure nothing is blocking them. If you've checked all of this and the system still isn't heating or cooling right, a licensed contractor will need to diagnose it and can price the repair once they've seen the system.