HVAC Repair in Kalispell, MT
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Flathead County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of heat, and nights near zero
Your furnace in Flathead County runs from August through June, eleven months with almost no break. On winter nights that average 17°F, it cycles on and off for hours trying to keep up. Every one of those cycles wears a little more on the igniter and the blower motor, and when one gives out, it tends to happen on the coldest nights, because that is when the furnace is working hardest.
Summer afternoons here only average 72°F, so the air conditioner barely runs. That is easy on the system, but it also means a problem can sit unnoticed for months since the AC is rarely asked to prove itself. Flathead County has logged 124 winter storms and 69 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and in Montana, 18% of households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024. Most gas furnaces relight on their own once power is back. If yours doesn't, the outage likely isn't the problem. Something in the furnace needs a look.
- 11 months
- August through June, your system heats
- 17°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 72°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $100 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Flathead County home.
Estimates for a typical Flathead 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 state licenses HVAC contractors through the Department of Labor and Industry, which means the contractor was tested and is on record before taking on work like yours. The license covers the contractor, not each individual job, so the same license applies whether they are working on your system or one across the county.
For a repair like this, that license is what stands behind the work. Montana does carve out an exception below $2,500, work under that amount does not need a licensed contractor, so it is worth knowing where your repair falls.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it is set to heat and the setpoint is above room temperature, and change the batteries if it uses them. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker for the furnace and the switch on the furnace itself, which looks like a light switch and can get bumped off. Winter nights here average 17°F, so a furnace that won't fire at all needs a licensed contractor out quickly rather than waiting.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A clogged filter blocks airflow across the coil, and when airflow drops too low the coil can freeze over, which stops it from cooling even though the system keeps running. If the filter is clean and the vents are open and unblocked, the system may be low on refrigerant or have a failing part, and that needs a licensed contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings and batteries, the breaker, and the furnace switch. Check the air filter and swap it if it's dirty or hasn't been changed in a while. Look at every vent in the house and make sure none are closed or blocked by furniture. If the system still isn't working after that, a licensed contractor will need to look at it and price the job for your house.