HVAC Repair in Faribault, MN
Homes here need heat from September through May and cooling from June through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Rice County will get in touch.
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Nine months of heat, three of cooling, and not much room to spare
Your furnace in Faribault carries the year. Heat runs from September through May, and on the coldest nights it's cycling on and off against a low near 10°F. That kind of cold puts real strain on the igniter and the heat exchanger, since every start matters more when the gap between inside and outside is that wide.
Summer asks less of the system, just three months, with afternoons around 80°F, but the switch matters. A system built to fight off cold has to reverse itself and pull heat out of the house instead. Rice County also sees its share of winter storms and wind, and when the power drops, a furnace with a standing pilot will relight on its own, but one that needs electricity to start won't run until power is back.
- 9 months
- September through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 10°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 80°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $130 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Rice County home.
Estimates for a typical Rice County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Minnesota 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.
Minnesota has no state license for HVAC contractors.
There is no state license and no state registration behind the name on the van. Minnesota does not test HVAC contractors and does not keep a state list of who is qualified to take a job like this in Rice County. Whatever business does this repair has not been vetted by the state before they get to your door.
The gas connections are the part of a heating repair where a mistake actually hurts someone, and Minnesota's answer on this job is that there is no state board standing behind it at all.
Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- 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 level, and check the breaker and the furnace switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit. If the furnace runs a gas flame, check that the gas valve is open. At 10 degrees on a winter night here, a furnace that will not fire is not something to leave until morning, so if power and gas are both fine, it is time to call a contractor.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower is running but the air is not cold, check the filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and the coil can ice over, which makes the problem worse the longer the system runs. Turn the system off and let it sit for a few hours if you see ice on the lines outside. If the filter is clean and there is no ice, the system likely needs a contractor to check refrigerant levels or the outdoor unit.
- 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 furnace or air conditioner. Check the filter and replace it if it looks gray or matted, since a blocked filter can cause both heating and cooling problems. Look at the outdoor unit for anything blocking it, like leaves or snow piled against it. If everything there looks normal and the system still is not heating or cooling, a contractor will need to look at it directly, since the next step usually means opening the unit.