HVAC Repair in Ruidoso, NM
Homes here need heat from October through April and cooling from June through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Lincoln County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
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Ten months of work, most of it in the cold
Your furnace carries the load here. October through April, seven months, it runs on nights that average 24°F. That kind of cold means longer burner cycles and more of them, and every cycle puts wear on the igniter and the parts that start it. When one of those fails, you find out at night, when the house goes cold and stays that way.
Summer is shorter but not gentle. Three months of afternoons near 87°F push the air conditioner hard, and a system that sits idle most of the year can struggle to start when it's finally asked to. Add in the wind this county sees, 138 damaging wind events over the past decade, and outdoor units take a beating too. When the power goes out, and it has for over a tenth of New Mexico households in a given year, most systems come back on their own. But a unit already worn down by the cold and the wind is the one that doesn't.
- 7 months
- October through April, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 24°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 87°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $90 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Lincoln County home.
Estimates for a typical Lincoln 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.
Replacement makes sense when the furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, the air conditioner's compressor has failed, or repairs keep coming.
New Mexico requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Construction Industries Division tests contractors before they can hold this license, and it keeps a record of who holds one. That license covers the contractor, not each job.
For a repair on a heating and cooling system, that license is the thing accountable for the work, including the gas connections and the rest of the repair.
Source: New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most often it is the igniter, the thermostat, or the pilot light gone out. Gas furnaces need power, a good igniter, and a clean flame sensor to fire, so a failure in any of those will stop the heat cold. At 24°F average on winter nights here, a furnace that has gone out needs attention fast rather than a wait and see approach. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the breaker hasn't tripped before assuming the worst.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The blower is moving air, but something is stopping that air from actually getting cold. A dirty filter, low refrigerant, or a frozen coil are the usual reasons. Check the filter first, since a clogged one restricts airflow across the coil and can cause it to ice up. If the filter is clean and the air still isn't cold, the system likely has a refrigerant leak or a coil problem that needs a contractor to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to heat or cool as needed and that the batteries aren't dead. Check the breaker box for a tripped breaker, and look at the air filter, since a clogged filter can cause problems that look like bigger failures. If the system has a pilot light, check whether it's lit. None of this fixes a broken part, but it rules out the simple causes before a contractor comes out.