Outside, January dawn37°F
Heating
Heating and heat pump repair in Phoenix
Desert winters are mild until they are not. On the handful of mornings that dip into the 30s, a heat pump that has quietly lost its backup heat, or a furnace that has not run since March, lets you know. We repair both, and check gas furnaces for carbon monoxide every time.
Heat pumps
Most Phoenix homes heat with the same unit that cools them
A heat pump runs in reverse in winter, pulling heat from outdoor air. On cold mornings it leans on a backup electric heater, and every so often it defrosts the outdoor coil, which can send up a puff of steam. That is normal. These are not:
- Lukewarm air from the vents while the outdoor unit runs.
- The outdoor coil stays covered in ice and never clears.
- Power bills jump because the backup heat runs all day.
- It cools fine in summer but will not switch to heat.
Gas furnaces
Older homes, and the yearly safety check
Many older homes in central Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa still have a gas furnace with a separate air conditioner. A furnace that sits idle for nine months needs a look before the first cold night: burners, flame sensor, ignition, venting and the heat exchanger.
Smell gas?
Do not switch anything on or off. Leave the house, then call your gas company or 911 from outside. When they say it is safe, call us. See the full safety steps.
- Heating diagnostic visit
- from$79
- Furnace safety check with CO test
- from$119
- Flame sensor clean or ignitor
- from$165
- Heat pump defrost control repair
- from$289
Sample prices for this demo website.
While you wait
Three checks before you call
Thermostat
Set it to Heat, raise it a few degrees above room temperature and check the batteries if the screen is blank.
Filter
A clogged filter can make a furnace overheat and shut itself off. Replace it if you cannot see light through it.
Breaker and switch
Check the breaker and the service switch near the furnace. Reset a tripped breaker once, never repeatedly.
Heating questions
Heating and heat pump FAQs
Why is steam coming off my heat pump on a cold morning?
That is usually the defrost cycle melting frost off the outdoor coil, and it is normal. If the unit is covered in thick ice or the defrost never ends, call us.
Should I use the emergency heat setting?
Only if the outdoor unit has failed. Emergency heat runs the electric backup heater on its own, which keeps the house warm but costs much more to run. Call us so we can repair the heat pump.
How often does a gas furnace need a safety check?
Once a year, before the first cold spell. We test the burners, flame sensor and venting, check the heat exchanger for cracks and test for carbon monoxide.