HVAC Repair in Racine, 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 Racine County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work a year
Racine County only gives your system a short break. Heat runs October through May, then the air conditioner takes over for June through August. That's eleven months where something is always cycling on.
Winter nights averaging 17°F mean the furnace fires again and again to keep up, and every start puts wear on the igniter and the ignition control board. Summer afternoons near 80°F push the air conditioner hard on the days you need it most, and a system that's been idle since fall is when a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge finally shows itself. On top of that, the county has logged 23 winter storms and 48 damaging wind events over the last ten years, and storms mean power blinks. Most furnaces and air conditioners restart on their own once power is back, but if yours doesn't come back on, that's worth a call before you assume the worst.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 17°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 $120 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Racine County home.
Estimates for a typical Racine 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, but nobody tested the contractor's HVAC knowledge to get it. There is no trade exam behind it, so it is a record of who is operating, not proof of what they know. Counties and cities in Wisconsin cannot require their own HVAC license on top of it, so this registration is the only state-level record that exists on a contractor here.
For a heating and cooling repair, that record does not tell you who checked the gas or refrigerant work. Anyone working on the gas side of a furnace is handling the part of the job where a bad connection is dangerous, and Wisconsin's registration does not test for that. What Wisconsin has set up is a business file, not a check on the work itself.
Sources: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to heat and the temperature is set above room temperature, since a setting bumped a degree or two can look like a dead furnace. If that's fine, check the breaker box for a tripped switch and check that the filter isn't packed with dust, since a blocked filter can cause the furnace to shut itself down. If your furnace has a standing pilot, look for the small flame behind the viewing window. With winter nights here averaging 17°F, a furnace that won't start is worth calling in quickly rather than waiting it out.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The most common reason is a dirty filter choking off airflow, so check that first. If the filter is clean, look at the outdoor unit and clear away any grass clippings, leaves or debris pressed against the coil, since anything blocking it stops the unit from shedding heat. A system that runs constantly without cooling can also mean the refrigerant charge is low, and that's not something to test yourself. It needs a gauge set and a licensed contractor to find the leak and recharge it properly.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings first, since the wrong mode or a schedule override causes more no-heat and no-cool calls than people expect. Check the filter next and replace it if it's gray or clogged, since that alone fixes a surprising number of airflow complaints. Check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker and make sure any furnace or outdoor shutoff switch hasn't been bumped off. If your system runs on a standing pilot, check that the pilot light is still lit. Past that point, a licensed contractor will need to look at the equipment directly.