No two heating systems break the same way, and in Redding homes the first question on any no-heat call is what kind of equipment we are dealing with. Gas furnaces most often stall on an oxidized flame sensor. The burners fire, the sensor fails to confirm the flame, and after three attempts the control board closes the gas valve and locks the system out. Cracked hot surface igniters, sticking pressure switches, plugged condensate traps on high-efficiency units, and tired blower motors round out the usual list. Heat pumps have their own failure patterns. A defrost cycle that underperforms lets ice build up on the outdoor coil, a bad reversing valve leaves the system stuck in cooling mode, and a dead outdoor unit hands the whole load to the electric backup strips, which cost several times as much to run.
Our most requested repair is Furnace Repair. If something has stopped working, start there.
Warning Signs for Heating Repair
Spotting the early warning signs lets you act before the problem gets expensive. Keep an eye out for the following clues:
- Clicking and failed ignition attempts before the furnace gives up
- Cold air, or no air at all, when the thermostat calls for heat
- A rotten-egg, burning, or musty smell once the heat kicks on
- Frequent on-off cycles that never bring rooms up to temperature
- Some rooms warm while others stay stubbornly cold
- A heat pump's outdoor unit encased in frost or ice
- Energy costs climbing even though the house feels colder
- A loud boom when the burners light, which points to delayed ignition
Don't Wait for a Total Failure
A failing capacitor, clogged condensate drain, or dirty flame sensor rarely fixes itself and usually gets more expensive to address the longer it runs. If you notice any of these signs, call (530) 201-3595 for a prompt inspection.
