HVAC Repair in Steamboat Springs, CO
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Routt County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Ten months of heat, and nights near zero
Your furnace runs from September through June here. Winter nights average 11°F, so on the coldest nights it is cycling on and off for hours at a stretch, and every cycle puts a load on the igniter and the blower motor. When one of those wears out, it usually happens on the night you need the furnace most.
Steamboat Springs has logged 202 winter storms over the past ten years, and storms like that bring power loss with them. If your furnace loses power and comes back on, it should restart on its own, but a system that does not means a problem worth checking before the next storm. Summers here stay mild, averaging 74°F in the afternoon, so it is the furnace that does the heavy work almost all year.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 11°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 74°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $140 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Routt County home.
Estimates for a typical Routt County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Colorado 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.
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it is set to heat, the temperature is set above room temperature, and the display is lit up. If the display is blank, check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker, since that will kill power to the furnace before anything else does. A furnace that won't fire at all in weather this cold, with winter nights averaging 11°F, needs attention fast, so if power and the thermostat check out, it's time to call a contractor.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow and can freeze the coil, which stops cold air from reaching your vents even while the system keeps running. If the filter is clean, check that the outdoor unit is running and not covered in debris or ice. If the air coming from your vents is warm instead of cool, a contractor will need to check the refrigerant charge.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check your thermostat settings, batteries if it uses them, and the breaker panel first. Check the air filter and replace it if it looks gray or clogged, since a dirty filter causes problems that look like bigger issues than they are. Check that vents around the house are open and not blocked by furniture or rugs. If your system uses a standing pilot light, check whether it's still lit. None of this costs anything but a few minutes, and it tells the contractor what you've already ruled out when they arrive.