Furnace Repair in Manitowoc, WI
Furnaces here run from September through May. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Manitowoc County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Nine months of heat puts a lot of hours on your furnace
Manitowoc County homes need the furnace running from September through May. That is nine months a year the burner and blower are doing their job, and on winter nights that average 15°F, the furnace is not cycling lightly. It is working to keep up.
Most homes here heat with gas, so it is the igniter and burner that see the wear. Winters in this area also bring storms, 25 of them over the last ten years, along with 52 damaging wind events. Power loss is not rare either. When the power drops and comes back, a gas furnace should restart on its own, but if it does not fire back up, or if you notice it running longer to keep the house warm, that is the furnace telling you something needs a look.
- 9 months
- September through May, your furnace is on duty
- 15°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 74%
- of homes here heat with gas, so most furnaces here burn gas
- 25 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace would cut about $120 a year off heating for a typical Manitowoc County home.
Estimates for a typical Manitowoc County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Wisconsin fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound.
Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked or the furnace keeps needing parts.
Wisconsin requires contractors to register with the state.
That registration puts the business on file with the state. Nobody tested the contractor's work to get on that list, and there is no trade exam behind the name. Wisconsin also does not let counties or cities add their own HVAC license on top, so this registration is the only state-level record on a contractor anywhere in Manitowoc County.
For a furnace repair, the part that matters most is the gas connection, and registration does not test anyone's ability to get that right. Most homes in this county heat with gas, so that connection is the dangerous part of the job in more homes here than not, and no state credential stands behind it.
Sources: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, and that the batteries aren't dead if it uses them. If the thermostat looks fine, check the furnace switch, the one that looks like a light switch near the unit, and check the breaker or fuse for the furnace. A furnace that still won't respond after that likely has a problem inside it, in the ignition system or the control board, and that needs a contractor to look at it.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- If the air has been cold for a few minutes after the furnace kicks on, that's normal. The blower often starts before the heat exchanger has warmed up. If the furnace runs and blows cold air the whole time, check the air filter first, since a clogged one can choke off airflow and cause problems. If the filter is clean and the air stays cold, something in the ignition system or the gas supply likely isn't working, and a contractor will need to find out which.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- This usually means the thermocouple is worn out. That's the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to keep the gas flowing. When it wears out or sits out of position, it shuts the gas off even though the pilot is trying to stay lit. A draft blowing out the flame or a dirty pilot orifice can also cause this, but a thermocouple problem is the most common reason. This is a gas valve part, so have a contractor check it rather than trying to adjust it yourself.