HVAC Repair in Phenix City, AL
Homes here need heat from November through March and cooling from May through October. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Russell County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work a year
Your system in Phenix City runs almost year round. Heat from November through March, cooling from May through October, only one real month off in between. Summer afternoons average 91°F, so the compressor is working hard most days from May to October. That kind of run time wears on it, and a weak compressor shows up as a system that runs long but never quite cools the house.
Winter nights average 38°F, cold enough that the heat still has to cycle on and off through the night. Most homes here heat with electricity, so when the power goes out, the heat goes with it. Wind is the storm risk in this area, thirty damaging wind events over the last ten years, and Alabama households saw real outages last year. After the power drops and comes back, a furnace or heat pump that does not restart on its own is worth checking.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 6 months
- May through October, it cools
- 38°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Alabama requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license comes from the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors, not from Russell County. The state tested this contractor and keeps a record of them. That covers the contractor as a business, not the individual repair, so the license tells you who they are, not how this particular job turns out.
For a repair on your heating and cooling system, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work. Alabama does not leave this to the county, so the same rule applies here as it does across the state.
Source: Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most of the time it comes down to power, fuel, or airflow. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, and check the breaker for the furnace or air handler. If you heat with electricity, like most homes in this area do, a tripped breaker or a bad heating element in the air handler is a common cause. A dirty filter can also choke off airflow until the system shuts itself down to protect the heat exchanger. If the thermostat is set right and the breaker is fine, a contractor will need to check the igniter, the flame sensor, or the heating elements.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The system is running but the air it is putting out is not cold enough, or not enough of it is reaching the rooms. A dirty filter is the first thing to check, since blocked airflow across the coil can stop it from pulling heat out of the air. Low refrigerant from a leak will also cause this, and that is not something you can add yourself. If the outdoor unit's fan is not spinning or the coil is coated in dirt, it cannot release the heat it is pulling from inside the house, and a contractor will need to look at the coil and the refrigerant charge.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to the right mode, the temperature is set past room temperature, and the batteries are not dead. Next check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker on the furnace, air handler, or outdoor unit. Look at the filter and replace it if it is dirty, since a clogged filter causes problems in both summer and winter. If the outdoor unit is covered in leaves or debris, clear the area around it. If you have done all this and the system still is not working, a licensed contractor will need to diagnose it further. Alabama requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license through the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors.