HVAC Repair in Thompson Falls, MT
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Sanders County will get in touch.
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Ten months of heat a year, and nights near 20 below zero
Your furnace in Thompson Falls works from September through June. That is ten months of the year it has to start reliably, and on winter nights averaging 20°F, it runs long and often to keep up. Each cycle puts wear on the igniter and the flame sensor, and those are usually the first parts to fail once a system has been through a few winters here.
Summer asks less of your system. Afternoons average 76°F, mild enough that many homes get by without much cooling at all. But the county sees real storms, 128 winter storms and 60 damaging wind events over the last ten years, and Montana households lost power for a day or more at a rate of 18% last year. When the power drops in the middle of a cold snap, a furnace that was already struggling can fail to restart on its own.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 20°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 76°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Montana's Department of Labor and Industry issues this license, and it covers the contractor, not each job. It follows them from house to house rather than being issued fresh every time. Work under $2,500 does not need a licensed contractor, so smaller repairs can fall outside this system.
A repair on a heating and cooling system can land on either side of that line. Where the job is licensed, the license is what stands behind the person doing the work, backed by the state's record of who holds one. Where it falls under $2,500, that state record does not apply to the job at all.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it is set to heat and set above room temperature, and that the display is lit. If the display is blank, look at your breaker panel, since a tripped breaker will shut the furnace down with no warning. Furnaces that use a pilot or an igniter can also fail to light if the flame sensor is dirty, and that is a job for a contractor. With winter nights here averaging 20°F, do not wait on this one.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower is running but the air is not cold, the most common cause is a dirty filter choking off airflow. Check it first and replace it if it looks gray or clogged. If the filter is clean and you still get warm air, the system may be low on refrigerant or have a failing compressor, and that needs a contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings first, since a system set to the wrong mode or a dead thermostat battery looks like a bigger problem than it is. Next check the filter and replace it if it is dirty, since restricted airflow causes both heating and cooling complaints. Check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker, especially after a storm. If the system still is not working after that, a licensed contractor can diagnose it and price the repair for your house.