HVAC Repair in North Plainfield, NJ
Homes here need heat from October through May and cooling from June through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Somerset County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work most years
In North Plainfield your system barely gets a break. Heat runs October through May, then the AC takes over for June through August. Eleven months where something is asking to switch on.
Winter nights averaging 24°F mean a gas furnace, the way most homes here are heated, cycles on and off for hours to keep the house warm. Every one of those cycles puts wear on the igniter and the burner. Come summer, afternoons near 84°F push the compressor hard for months, not just a few hot days, and that steady load is where a weak compressor tends to fail. The area has also seen 21 winter storms and 153 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and some New Jersey homes lose power for a day or more when storms hit. Most furnaces and air conditioners come back on by themselves once power returns, but a system already strained from the season's demands is the one that does not.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 24°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 84°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $180 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Somerset County home.
Estimates for a typical Somerset County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, New Jersey 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.
New Jersey requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The state license comes from the State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors. New Jersey tested the contractor and keeps a record of them, and that license belongs to the business, not to any single job. Somerset County has no separate license of its own to check, because towns and cities in New Jersey are not allowed to require one on top of the state's.
For a repair like this, that state license is the thing standing behind the work. Wherever the job is done in Somerset County, the same state license applies, since no local license exists alongside it.
Sources: New Jersey Legislature · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most often it is the igniter, the thermostat, or a clogged filter cutting off airflow. Gas furnaces run on an igniter now instead of a pilot light, and when that part fails the furnace will not light at all. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and above room temperature, and check the filter for buildup blocking airflow. With winter nights here averaging 24°F, a furnace that will not start needs a contractor out quickly, since a home can lose heat fast at that temperature.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower is running but the air is not cold, the problem is usually with the outdoor unit, the refrigerant charge, or a frozen coil. A dirty filter or blocked vents can also starve the system of airflow and make it seem like the cooling itself has failed. Check the filter first, and check that the outdoor unit is clear of leaves or debris. On an afternoon near 84°F, a coil that ices over will blow warm air until it fully thaws, so turning the system off for a while and checking again can tell you if that is the cause.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Make sure it is set to the right mode and the batteries are not dead. Check the filter, since a clogged one restricts airflow and can shut a system down or cause it to freeze up. Check the breaker box, since a tripped breaker will stop a furnace or air conditioner from starting at all. If the outdoor unit is not running, look for debris or ice blocking it. If none of that explains the problem, a licensed contractor will need to diagnose it, since New Jersey requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license for this kind of repair.