Furnace Repair in Taos, NM
Furnaces here run from September through June. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Taos County will get in touch.
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Ten months of heat, and cold nights to match
Taos County needs heat from September through June. That is ten months of the year your furnace has to work, and on winter nights that average 14°F, it is cycling on and off most of the night to keep up.
All those cycles wear on the igniter and the burner, the parts that have to fire up each time the furnace kicks on. This county also sees its share of winter storms and wind, and when the power goes out, a gas furnace with an electric igniter stops running with it. At 14°F outside, a house does not hold its heat for long.
- 10 months
- September through June, your furnace is on duty
- 14°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 129 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace would cut about $100 a year off heating for a typical Taos County home.
Estimates for a typical Taos County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, New Mexico fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound.
Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked or the furnace keeps needing parts.
New Mexico requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
New Mexico licenses HVAC contractors through the Construction Industries Division. The license is held by the contractor, not issued for each job, so the same license covers whatever furnace work they do for you.
A gas furnace has a combustion chamber and a line feeding it, and a loose or corroded connection there is what turns a bad repair into a dangerous one. The state's licensing is what stands behind that work in New Mexico. In Taos County, 46.6% of homes heat with gas, so a licensed contractor here is working on the same kind of system you have.
Source: New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Most often the thermostat isn't calling for heat, the power to the unit is cut off, or the igniter has failed. Check that the thermostat is set above room temperature and the furnace switch and breaker are on. If those look fine, a gas furnace won't fire without a working igniter or flame sensor, and that's a repair for a licensed contractor.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- The furnace is likely running the blower without a flame lit, which can mean the igniter isn't working, the gas valve isn't opening, or the flame sensor is shutting it down as a safety measure. A dirty flame sensor is a common cause and needs cleaning or replacing. With nights averaging 14°F here in the winter, this isn't something to let sit.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- A pilot light that won't stay lit usually means the thermocouple has failed. That's the small part that senses the flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. It can also point to a draft blowing out the flame or a partly clogged pilot orifice. A licensed contractor can tell which one it is and replace the part that's worn out.