HVAC Repair in New Town, ND
Homes here need heat from September through June and cooling from July through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Mountrail County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
New Town asks your system to run almost every month of the year
Heat runs from September through June here, ten months out of twelve. On winter nights that average 4°F, the burner is lighting and shutting off most of the night to keep up, and every start puts wear on the igniter and the ignition control board. That is usually where a no-heat call starts, on the coldest nights, when the system has been working hardest.
Mountrail County has seen winter storms and damaging wind events often enough over the past ten years that losing power in the cold is a real risk, and homes that heat with electricity lose their heat along with it. Cooling only runs July and August, so after months of sitting idle, the air conditioner has to work against 79°F afternoons right away. That is when a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge tends to show itself.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 2 months
- July through August, it cools
- 4°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 79°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
North Dakota requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
North Dakota licenses HVAC contractors through the Secretary of State. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any one job. It means the state has tested that contractor and keeps them on record, and it does not reset from one repair to the next.
Work under $4,000 does not need a licensed contractor in North Dakota. Above that, whoever repairs your heating and cooling system has to hold the state license, and the license is what stands behind that work. Where the job falls under that $4,000 line, the license requirement does not apply, and the state has no record of who did the work.
Sources: North Dakota Legislative Branch · North Dakota Secretary of State
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat and the power to the furnace before you assume the worst. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, and check the breaker and any switch that looks like a light switch near the furnace, since that cuts power to it. If those are fine, listen for whether the furnace tries to start at all. A furnace that clicks but will not light often has a dirty flame sensor or a failed igniter. One that does not respond at all points to a power or control problem a contractor needs to check. With winter nights here averaging 4°F, do not wait on this one.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the indoor coil, and when airflow drops too low the coil can ice over, so the system runs but the air coming out barely feels cool. Check the outdoor unit too. If the outdoor fan is not spinning or the unit is packed with leaves and grass clippings, it cannot get rid of the heat it is pulling from the house. Also check that the thermostat is set to cool and not just fan, since fan-only mode moves air without cooling it. If the filter is clean, the outdoor unit is clear, and it still is not cooling, that points to a refrigerant leak or a compressor problem, and a contractor will need to check pressures to know for sure.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings, the batteries in it if it uses them, and the breaker for the system before anything else. A tripped breaker or a thermostat set to the wrong mode looks exactly like a broken system but takes a minute to rule out. Check the air filter and replace it if it is gray or clogged, since a blocked filter causes problems that look like bigger failures. For a furnace, check whether a switch near the unit has been bumped off. If the system still is not working after that, a contractor will need to look at it and price the repair for your house. North Dakota requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, and that is worth confirming before anyone touches the gas, refrigerant, or wiring on the system.