HVAC questions we get a lot

Most days, the same day, especially if you call in the morning. During cold snaps and heat waves, homes with no heat or no AC go to the front of the line.

Most repairs take an hour or two, and most get done on the first visit because we carry the common parts. If something has to be ordered, we'll get the system running safely in the meantime if we can.

For emergencies, yes. Regular hours are Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm. After hours costs more, and we'll tell you how much on the phone.

A weekday service call runs $99–$179. That covers coming out and finding the problem. You get the repair price before we do anything else.

Small parts like igniters, flame sensors and capacitors usually land between $175 and $450. Motors, control boards and refrigerant leaks run more, often $500 to $1,800.

Rough 2026 numbers for the Everett area: a gas furnace $5,500–$10,000, central AC $6,000–$11,000, a ducted heat pump $11,000–$20,000, and a one-room ductless mini split $4,500–$8,500. The house, the ducts and the equipment you pick move it around.

Snohomish County PUD has offered rebates on qualifying heat pumps. Programs change from year to year, so we check what's current when we quote a job.

Look at the age and the size of the repair. Under about 10 years old, fix it. Near the end of its life with a big repair, price a replacement too. One rule of thumb: multiply the repair cost by the system's age, and if it's over about $5,000, replacing usually wins.

With yearly service, gas furnaces usually last 15 to 20 years, and central AC and heat pumps 12 to 15. Skipped maintenance takes years off those numbers.

Yes. Most winter nights here are in the 30s, and current heat pumps keep heating well below freezing. Backup heat covers the rare arctic blast.

That's the defrost cycle. On cold, damp mornings the outdoor unit frosts up and melts it off every so often. Steam and a whoosh are normal. A unit that stays a block of ice isn't.

Dust settles on the furnace over the summer and burns off the first time it heats up. It should fade within an hour. If it smells electrical or doesn't go away, shut it off and call.

Usually ductwork: a disconnected or crushed duct, poor balancing, or a long run to that room. Sometimes the room just needs its own heat source, and a small ductless unit fixes it for good.

Check it monthly. A standard 1-inch filter usually needs changing every one to three months. Thick media filters last six months to a year.

Plenty of people got by without it for years. Since the 2021 heat dome, a lot of them have changed their minds. A heat pump adds cooling and upgrades your heat at the same time, which is why it's what we usually suggest.