HVAC Repair in Sandpoint, ID
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Bonner County will get in touch.
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Ten months of heat, and winters that don't let up
Your furnace runs September through June here. That's ten months of the year it has to work, with only a short break in summer when afternoons top out around 75°F. Winter nights average 22°F, and on those nights the furnace cycles on and off for hours to keep the house livable. Every start puts load on the igniter and the parts that get the burner lit, and that's usually where trouble shows up first, as a furnace that won't fire or takes several tries to catch.
Bonner County has logged 338 winter storms and 43 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Storms like that knock out power, and just over a third of homes here heat with electricity, so a power outage can mean no heat at all. Idaho households went at least 24 hours without power at rates high enough to matter, and on a night near 22°F, a system that won't restart on its own is a real problem, not just an inconvenience.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 22°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 75°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
Idaho requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Idaho licenses HVAC contractors through the state's HVAC Board. That license belongs to the contractor, not to the job, so it isn't reissued for each repair or tied to your address.
For the work on your system, that license is what stands behind the person doing it. Since it covers the contractor rather than this one repair, it's the contractor's name on the license that matters here, not a separate approval for the job itself.
Sources: Idaho Legislature · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to heat and the temperature is set above room temperature, and check the batteries if it has a screen that looks dim. If the thermostat looks fine, check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker, since a furnace or heat pump that lost power won't restart on its own. Gas furnaces also need a pilot light or igniter to work, so if you hear the blower running but feel no heat, the ignition system may have failed and that calls for a contractor. With winter lows here averaging 22°F, a furnace that's out for even a few hours can let a house cool fast, so don't wait long to get it looked at.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and that can cause the coil to ice over and stop cooling the air even though the system keeps running. If the filter looks fine, check that all supply vents in the house are open and unblocked by furniture or rugs. If the system is still running but the air coming out doesn't feel cold, the refrigerant level or a part inside the outdoor unit may be the problem, and that's a job for a licensed contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings, the batteries if it uses any, and the breaker panel for a tripped breaker. Check the air filter and replace it if it's dirty, since a clogged filter causes problems in both heating and cooling systems. If the system uses a standing pilot light, check whether it's lit. Idaho requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license through the state's HVAC Board, so once you've ruled out these basics, a licensed contractor can diagnose what's left.