HVAC Repair in Economy, PA
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 Beaver County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Eleven months of work a year, and not much rest between
Your furnace in Economy runs October through May. Winter nights average 23°F from December through February, cold enough that the burner is cycling on and off for hours at a stretch. Every one of those starts puts wear on the igniter and the burner assembly. When one finally gives out, the furnace won't light at all.
Then summer comes and the air conditioner takes over, working against afternoons averaging 82°F. Only three months, but it means the system barely gets a season off. Add the wind this area sees, 190 damaging wind events recorded over the past ten years, and outdoor units take a beating too. Bent fins, a knocked-loose fan blade, or a unit that trips off and won't restart are all things that wind leaves behind.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 23°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 82°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $160 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Beaver County home.
Estimates for a typical Beaver County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Pennsylvania 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.
Pennsylvania requires contractors to register with the state.
Contractors register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Look up a contractor's registration on the Bureau of Consumer Protection's website.Sources: Pennsylvania General Assembly · Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most often it is the thermostat, the igniter, or the power to the furnace, and each one fails a different way. If the screen is blank, check the breaker and the furnace switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit. If the furnace runs but never lights, the igniter or flame sensor is a common cause, and that is worth a call given how cold nights get here in the winter. Gas furnaces heat most homes in this area, so a pilot or ignition problem is the most likely reason for no heat at all.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If air is moving but it is not cold, the filter or the outdoor unit is usually the reason. A clogged filter starves the system of airflow, so check it first and replace it if it is gray or packed with dust. If the filter is clean, look at the outdoor unit and clear away any leaves, grass clippings, or debris blocking the coil. A refrigerant leak or a failing compressor can also cause this, and those need a contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to heat or cool as needed and that the batteries are not dead. Next check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker, and check the furnace's own power switch. Then look at the filter, since a dirty one can cause both weak heat and weak cooling. If the outdoor unit is involved, clear any debris around it. If none of that fixes it, a licensed contractor can diagnose what is left, and in Pennsylvania contractors register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection, so it is worth asking for that when you hire one.