HVAC Repair in Longview, WA
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Cowlitz County will get in touch.
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Ten months of heat a year wears on the parts that light it
Furnaces in Longview run September through June. That is ten months of the year, night after night down near 33°F. Each time the burner lights, the igniter and the flame sensor take the wear. Over ten months, that adds up faster than it does somewhere with a short winter.
Summer asks almost nothing of a cooling system here, with afternoons averaging 74°F. So it is the furnace that carries the load in this county, and the furnace that tends to fail first. Most homes here heat with electricity, and Cowlitz County has seen six winter storms and five damaging wind events in the last ten years. When the power drops, the furnace stops with it, and in Washington almost a quarter of households went at least a day without power in 2024. If your furnace won't fire back up once the lights come on, that is worth a look.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 33°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 74°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
Washington requires contractors to register with the state.
Registration puts the business on file with the Department of Labor and Industries. There is no trade exam behind that number. The state records that the business exists and nothing about whether the work is done well.
For a heating and cooling repair, that record does not tell you who checked the contractor's work. Washington does not test or license the trade, so there is no state credential standing behind the repair itself, only the registration on file.
Source: Washington State Legislature
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to power, fuel, or airflow. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is actually above room temperature. If you have a furnace, look at the filter, a clogged one can choke off airflow until the system shuts itself down. If the system runs on electricity, which is how most homes here heat, check the breaker panel too, since a tripped breaker will stop it cold. Winter nights average 33°F here, so a heating system that quits for even a few hours becomes a real problem fast, and if the basics check out, it is worth having a contractor look at it the same day.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the system runs but the air coming out is not cold, check the filter first. A dirty filter restricts airflow over the coil, and when that happens the coil can ice up, which makes the problem worse the longer the system keeps running. Check the outdoor unit too. If the fan outside is not spinning or the unit is covered in debris, it cannot move heat out of the house no matter how long it runs. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit looks normal, the problem is likely inside the system and a contractor will need to check the refrigerant charge and the coil directly.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to the right mode, the batteries are good if it uses them, and the temperature setting is actually calling for heat or cooling. Next check the filter and replace it if it is visibly dirty, since a clogged filter is one of the most common reasons a system stops working right. Check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker, and if you have a furnace, check that the gas valve is open. Washington sees enough winter storms and wind events that power interruptions happen here, so if the power went out recently, give the system a few minutes after it comes back before assuming something is broken. If everything checks out and the system still is not working, that is the point to call a contractor, and they can price the repair once they see what is actually wrong.