HVAC Repair in Oshkosh, WI
Homes here need heat from October through May and cooling from June through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Winnebago County will get in touch.
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It takes about a minute.
Eight months of heat, three of cooling, almost no rest
Your furnace in Oshkosh works from October through May. On winter nights that average 13°F, it runs long and often, and the burner cycles on and off for hours at a stretch. That many cycles wears on the igniter first, and a furnace that won't light on a cold night usually means that part gave out.
Come summer, your air conditioner gets three months of afternoons near 80°F before it shuts down for the year. A system that sits idle for months and then gets pushed hard right away is more likely to show a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge in that first hot week. And with winter storms a regular part of the season here, a furnace that depends on power to run its blower and ignition can go down right when you need it most.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 13°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 80°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $130 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Winnebago County home.
Estimates for a typical Winnebago 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.
Replacement makes sense when the furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, the air conditioner's compressor has failed, or repairs keep coming.
Wisconsin requires contractors to register with the state.
That registration puts the business on file with the Department of Safety and Professional Services. Nobody is tested on how to do the work, and there is no license number tied to a trade exam. It tells you the company is on record with the state, not that the state vetted their skill. Wisconsin does not let counties or cities layer on their own HVAC license, so this registration is the only state-level record a contractor in Winnebago County has to have.
For a repair on your heating and cooling system, that record is what exists. It does not cover whether the person doing the work knows how to do it safely. If the repair touches the gas connections on your furnace, that is the part that can leak or burn wrong, and Wisconsin's registration does not include an inspection of that work. Wisconsin registers the business. It does not test the trade.
Sources: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat and the power to the furnace before you assume the worst. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, then check the breaker and the furnace switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit. If the furnace runs on gas, make sure the gas valve is open and the pilot or igniter is doing its job. With winter nights here dropping to 13°F on average, a furnace that will not stay lit needs a contractor soon rather than later.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow, so check that first. A filter clogged with dust makes the coil work harder and can freeze it over, and once the coil ices up the air coming out of your vents turns warm even though the system is running. Also check that nothing is blocking the outdoor unit, like grass clippings or fallen branches. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is clear, the problem is likely refrigerant or electrical, and that calls for a contractor.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Look at the batteries, the mode setting, and the temperature setting. Then check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker and look at the filter, since a clogged filter causes problems in both summer and winter. If the system runs on gas, confirm the gas valve is open. If you have been through these and the system still is not working right, a licensed contractor can diagnose the actual cause. Wisconsin contractors register with the Department of Safety and Professional Services, so it is worth confirming that registration before work begins.