HVAC Repair in Burlington, VT
Homes here need heat from September through May and cooling from July through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Chittenden County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work for your heating and cooling system
Your furnace carries the load from September through May here, with winter nights averaging 12°F. It runs long and often on those nights, and that kind of run time wears on the igniter and the blower motor first.
July and August bring afternoons around 77°F, and your air conditioner has to start up strong after months of sitting idle. Chittenden County has logged 53 winter storms and 124 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and outages come with that kind of weather. Not every system starts back up on its own once the power returns.
- 9 months
- September through May, your system heats
- 2 months
- July through August, it cools
- 12°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 77°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $170 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Chittenden County home.
Estimates for a typical Chittenden County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Vermont 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.
Vermont has no state license for HVAC contractors.
There is no state license or registration behind the name on the truck. Vermont does not test HVAC contractors, does not keep a list of them, and does not put any credential on file. Whatever business does this repair is not backed by a state record of any kind.
Gas connections are the dangerous part of a heating repair, and there is no state licensing board checking that work in Vermont. Anyone doing this repair is working without a state credential behind their name, in a state that has chosen not to require one.
Source: Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to heat, not cool, and that the temperature is set above the room temperature. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker and any switch that looks like a light switch near the furnace, since a flipped switch cuts power without any other sign. A furnace that won't light at all is often the igniter or the flame sensor, both of which wear out over time and need a contractor to replace. If you hear the blower running but feel no warm air, that's a different problem, likely with the burners or gas supply, and it needs a look in person.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A clogged filter blocks airflow across the coil, and the coil can freeze up when that happens, which stops it from cooling the air at all. Check that outdoor unit too. If the fan isn't spinning or the coil is covered in ice, turn the system off and let it thaw before running it again. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit looks normal but the air coming from the vents isn't cold, the system is likely low on refrigerant, and that's a job for a contractor since it means there's a leak somewhere in the lines.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings, the batteries in it if it uses any, and the breaker for the system. Check the air filter and replace it if it's visibly dirty, since that alone causes a lot of no-heat and no-cool calls. Look for a switch near the furnace or air handler that may have been bumped off, and for outdoor units, clear away any snow, ice, or debris blocking the unit. If you've checked all of that and the system still isn't working, a contractor will need to look at what's inside, and telling them what you already checked will save time on the visit.