The short answer
We repair gas furnaces, heat pumps, wall heaters and ductless systems in South Pasadena. Our technicians identify what kind of system you have, test it methodically, explain the fault and price the repair before doing any work.
Cold snaps in South Pasadena are short, which is exactly why a heating failure catches people off guard. The system sat unused for months, nobody thought about it, and now the house is chilly on a January morning and the kids are getting ready for school in sweaters. SummitAir HVAC Contractors is about three miles away in Pasadena and repairs every kind of home heating you are likely to find in 91030, from central gas furnaces and heat pumps to wall heaters in older bungalows and ductless units in condos. This page explains how we approach a heating call and what you can do while you wait.
First, what kind of heat do you have?
It sounds obvious, but many homeowners are not sure, especially if they bought the house recently. A thermostat on the wall and vents in the floor or ceiling usually mean a central furnace or heat pump. If there is an outdoor unit that runs in winter, it is a heat pump. A metal grille set into an interior wall, often in a hallway, is typically a gas wall heater. Indoor units mounted high on a wall with a remote control are ductless mini-splits. Telling us which one you have when you call lets the technician bring the right parts.
Things to try while you wait
A few problems have simple fixes you can safely check yourself.
- Make sure the thermostat is on heat, not cool or off, and turn the set point a few degrees above the room temperature.
- Replace the thermostat batteries if the screen is dim or blank.
- Check the breaker for the furnace or air handler, and the outdoor unit if you have a heat pump.
- Look for a light-switch-style power switch on or near the furnace and confirm it is on.
- Change the filter if it looks gray and matted; a clogged filter can shut a furnace down.
- If you smell gas, do none of the above. Leave the house and call the gas utility from outside.
How we troubleshoot
For a gas furnace, we follow the ignition sequence step by step and read the control board code, which quickly narrows the problem to the inducer, pressure switch, igniter, flame sensor, gas valve or blower. For a heat pump, we check the reversing valve, defrost control, outdoor fan, refrigerant pressures and the thermostat configuration, since a misconfigured thermostat can call for backup heat constantly or never switch modes. Wall heaters get attention to the pilot, thermocouple, gas valve and vent. Ductless systems usually report an error code we can decode on the spot.
Once we know the cause, you get a clear explanation and a price for the repair before any work begins.
Comfort problems that are not breakdowns
Sometimes the heating works, but the house still does not feel warm. In older South Pasadena homes, that is often about air distribution. A bedroom at the end of a long duct run, a disconnected flex duct in the attic, or a return grille too small for the furnace can all leave parts of the house cold while the thermostat is satisfied. With heat pumps, poorly sealed ducts in an unconditioned attic waste more of the warm air than many people realize. If our technician notices these issues during a repair, we point them out and explain what could be done, without pressuring you into extra work.
Safe operation of gas appliances
Every gas heater we repair gets a check of the venting and a carbon monoxide reading around the appliance. Older wall heaters and furnaces with corroded flue pipe deserve special care. If a heater is unsafe to run, we explain why and leave it off until it is corrected. When a gas furnace is too far gone to repair, keep in mind that South Coast AQMD Rule 1111 governs NOx emissions from new gas central furnaces installed in this region and is being amended toward zero-emission requirements on dates the district sets; we can explain what that means for your replacement options. We also repair heating systems in Alhambra, San Marino, San Gabriel, Monterey Park and Rosemead.
More services in South Pasadena
- AC Repair in South Pasadena
- Heat Pump Installation in South Pasadena
- AC Installation in South Pasadena
- Furnace Repair in South Pasadena