Heating and cooling systems rarely fail politely, and in Cambridge, MA, a breakdown tends to land on the hottest afternoon or the coldest night of the year. The tricky part is how many different failures produce the same symptom. A system that runs but never reaches temperature might be fighting a weak run capacitor, a pitted contactor, a low refrigerant charge, a dirty flame sensor, or simply a filter so clogged the blower is starving for air. A system that will not start at all could be a tripped float switch on a backed-up condensate drain, a failed transformer, a bad thermostat, or a control board that has stopped sequencing the equipment.
Our two most requested repairs are AC Repair and Furnace Repair. If something has stopped working, start there.
Warning Signs for HVAC Repair
The sooner you notice these red flags, the easier and cheaper the fix. Keep an eye out for the following clues:
- The outdoor unit humming but refusing to actually start
- Water around the indoor unit from a clogged condensate drain
- Unfamiliar sounds from the equipment, like squealing, grinding, or banging
- Short cycling, where the system starts and stops without ever reaching the setpoint
- Rising utility costs even though the house feels worse
- Repeated breaker trips every time the heating or cooling kicks on
- Warm air from the vents in cooling mode, or cool air in heating mode
- Weak airflow from the supply registers throughout the house
Early Action Saves Money
A failing capacitor, clogged condensate drain, or dirty flame sensor rarely fixes itself and usually gets more expensive to address the longer it runs. If you notice any of these signs, call (857) 767-3265 for a prompt inspection.
