HVAC Repair in Sugar Land, TX
Homes here need heat from November through February and cooling from April through October. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Fort Bend County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Eleven months of work, most years
Your system runs from April through October to keep the house cool, then switches over for heat from November through February. That is eleven months out of the year with barely a break between them. Summer afternoons averaging 93°F push the compressor hard for the longer stretch of that time, and that steady load is what wears down a capacitor or a contactor before its time.
Winter is short here, but nights averaging 46°F still mean the burner or the heat strip is cycling on and off rather than running steady. 57.7% of homes here heat with gas, and that start-stop work on cold nights is what wears out an igniter. Thirty-nine damaging wind events over the past ten years also mean the outdoor unit takes a beating a lot of systems elsewhere never see.
- 4 months
- November through February, your system heats
- 7 months
- April through October, it cools
- 46°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 93°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 Fort Bend County home.
Estimates for a typical Fort Bend County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Texas 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.
Texas requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Texas licenses HVAC contractors through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license applies whether they are repairing your system or someone else's.
Because Texas licenses the contractor, that license is what stands behind the repair being done on your heating and cooling system. A gas connection is the part worth getting right, since a loose fitting or bad seal is what makes a repair dangerous rather than just incomplete.
Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to heat and set a few degrees above room temperature, and check that its batteries are not dead. If that is fine, check the breaker for the furnace or air handler, since a tripped one will cut power without any other warning. Gas furnaces will not fire if the pilot or igniter fails, so if you hear the blower running but feel no warm air, that is a sign for a contractor to look at the burner or ignition system. Winter nights here average 46°F, so a furnace that is short cycling or not keeping up is worth getting checked before a colder night comes through.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow, so check that first and replace it if it looks gray or clogged. If the filter is clean, look at the outdoor unit and clear away any leaves, grass clippings or debris blocking the coil. A frozen indoor coil will also stop cooling even though the blower keeps running, and that usually points to low airflow or a refrigerant problem that needs a contractor. Summer afternoons here average 93°F, so a system that runs constantly without cooling the house is losing ground fast and should not wait long.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings and batteries first, since a wrong setting or dead batteries can look exactly like a bigger problem. Check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker on the furnace, air handler or outdoor unit. Look at the air filter and replace it if it is dirty, since restricted airflow causes both heating and cooling complaints. If the outdoor unit is not running, make sure nothing is blocking it and that the disconnect switch nearby is pushed in. A licensed contractor can take it from there if the system still is not working right.