HVAC Repair in Santa Fe, NM
Homes here need heat from October through May and cooling from July through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Santa Fe County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Ten months a year, your system doesn't get a break
From October through May your furnace is doing the work, and on winter nights that average 20°F it cycles on and off for hours to keep the house warm. Most homes here heat with gas, so that means the burner lighting again and again, all night, every night, for eight months straight. That kind of use wears on the igniter and the flame sensor before anything else.
Then summer hands the job to the AC. Afternoons near 84°F in July and August put the compressor to work after months of sitting idle, and that first hot stretch is when a weak capacitor or a low charge tends to show itself. New Mexico also sees its share of power interruptions, and most systems come back on their own once power is restored. If yours doesn't, that's worth a look too.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 2 months
- July through August, it cools
- 20°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 84°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 Santa Fe County home.
Estimates for a typical Santa Fe 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.
New Mexico licenses HVAC contractors through the Construction Industries Division. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so it covers the person or business rather than this particular repair.
For a repair to your heating and cooling system, that license is what stands behind the work. If the repair involves the gas side of the system, the connection is the part that has to be done right, since a poor one is what makes gas work dangerous rather than just faulty.
Source: New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to power, gas, or airflow. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and above room temperature, and that a breaker hasn't tripped. If you have a gas furnace, look for a pilot light or igniter that isn't lighting, or a switch near the unit that got bumped off. A dirty filter can also choke off airflow until the furnace shuts itself down to protect against overheating. Nights here drop to 20°F in winter, so a furnace that quits for even a few hours is worth calling in a licensed contractor to look at.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If air is moving but it's not cold, the filter is the first thing to check. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and the coil can ice over so the air coming out feels weak or barely cool. Also check the outdoor unit, the fan there needs to be running and the area around it clear of leaves or debris. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit sounds normal but the house still isn't cooling, the system likely needs a licensed contractor to check refrigerant levels or the coil itself.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Confirm it's set to heat or cool as needed, the temperature is set where you want it, and the batteries aren't dead. Next check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker, and look at the filter, a filter that's gray with dust should be swapped out. If it's a gas furnace, check for a switch near the unit or at the top of the basement stairs that may have been switched off. If everything checks out and the system still isn't working, a licensed contractor will need to diagnose it, since New Mexico requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license for this kind of repair.