HVAC Repair in Galena, AK
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Your furnace runs every month of the year here
Galena needs heat all twelve months, and winter nights average 14 below zero from December through February. That kind of cold means long, steady burner runs, and it means the furnace rarely gets the chance to fully rest. More than half the homes here heat with fuel oil, so the burner and its nozzle carry that load directly, year after year.
This area has logged 15 winter storms and 5 damaging wind events over the past ten years. A furnace depends on power to run its blower and ignition system, so when a storm knocks the power out, the heat stops with it, right when the cold is hardest on the house.
- -14°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 68°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
Alaska requires contractors to register with the state.
Registration puts the business on file with the state. It does not mean anyone tested the contractor's gas or refrigeration knowledge, and Alaska keeps no license record on the person doing the work in your home.
For a heating and cooling repair, that record is what exists. There is no state exam behind the name on the truck, and no license number to check. What Alaska has on file is that the business registered, nothing about whether it does the work well.
Source: Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to the thermostat, the power to the unit, or the fuel supply. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature. If you heat with fuel oil, check the tank level, since more than half the homes here run on oil and an empty tank looks like a broken furnace. If the thermostat and fuel are fine, the igniter or the burner assembly may need a contractor to look at it, especially with nights running to -14°F here you do not want to wait on this one.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower runs but the air is not cold, the problem is usually with the refrigerant side or airflow, not the fan. A dirty filter chokes airflow across the coil and can cause it to ice up, so check that first. If the filter is clean and the air still is not cold, the system likely needs a contractor to check refrigerant levels or the coil itself, since that is not something to diagnose from the thermostat.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set correctly, has fresh batteries if it takes them, and is calling for heat or cooling the way you expect. Next check the filter, since a clogged one restricts airflow and can shut a system down or make it run poorly. Check the breaker box too, since a tripped breaker will stop a furnace or air handler cold and is easy to miss. If your heat runs on fuel oil, confirm there is oil in the tank before assuming the furnace itself has failed.