Furnace & Heating Repair in Los Angeles

Heating in LA is a strange job. Your furnace might run only on the colder days of the year, sit through a long dusty summer, and then be expected to fire right up when a cold front rolls into the Valley. Back2Cool HVAC handles furnace repair in Los Angeles, along with wall heaters, floor furnaces and heat pumps, from our base in Sherman Oaks. We are available 7 days a week, 8 AM to 10 PM.

Gas Furnace Safety: CO and Cracked Heat Exchangers

A gas furnace burns fuel inside your home. The heat exchanger is the metal chamber that keeps combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, separate from the air you breathe. Over years of heating and cooling cycles, that metal can crack or rust through, especially on old or oversized furnaces.

Signs we look for during a heating repair or inspection:

• A yellow, wavy or lifting flame instead of a steady blue one
• Soot or scorch marks around the burners or the furnace cabinet
• Rust, cracks or holes visible on the heat exchanger
• Flame that changes when the blower turns on
• Venting that is disconnected, corroded or sloped the wrong way

We strongly recommend a working CO detector on every level of the home and near sleeping areas, especially if you have any gas appliance. They are inexpensive and they are the only reliable way to know CO is present. If we find a safety problem with your furnace, we will show you exactly what we see and explain your options. We do not use scare tactics, and we will not leave you with an unsafe appliance without telling you.

Common Furnace Problems and Fixes

Furnace will not light

Modern furnaces use a hot surface ignitor instead of a standing pilot. Ignitors are fragile and wear out; a cracked one simply will not glow. Other causes include a failed draft inducer motor, a stuck pressure switch, a clogged condensate line on high-efficiency furnaces, or a gas valve issue.

Burners light, then shut off

Almost always the flame sensor. It is a thin metal rod that proves the flame is lit. A light coating of residue keeps it from reading properly, so the control shuts the gas off a few seconds after ignition. Cleaning it fixes the symptom; we also look for what is causing the buildup.

Older furnaces with a pilot light

If your pilot will not stay lit, the thermocouple or thermopile is the usual suspect, along with a dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing it out.

Blower runs but air is cold

Could be the furnace is locked out on a safety, the thermostat is set to fan "On", or a limit switch is tripping because airflow is restricted. A clogged filter is a classic cause.

Furnace short cycles or overheats

Restricted airflow from a dirty filter, closed vents, crushed ducts or a dirty blower wheel can trip the high-limit switch repeatedly. That cycle stresses the heat exchanger, which is why we do not just reset it and leave.

Thermostat problems

Dead batteries, loose wires, a smart thermostat without a common wire, or one configured for the wrong equipment type. We see these often after DIY thermostat swaps.

Heater Repair in Sherman Oaks and Across the Valley

Valley nights get colder than the basin and coast, and hillside homes in Sherman Oaks, Studio City and Encino can feel it more. When the first cold snap hits, calls for heater repair spike, usually from systems that sat unused since spring. Our $55 service call (code LA55) includes an inspection, diagnosis and clear recommendations, and the $55 is applied toward the repair if you go ahead.

"Nikita is the man! Showed up in 30 mins after my call and fixed the issue!"

Devon G. · Thumbtack

Wall Heaters in Older LA Homes

Many 1920s through 1960s homes across LA, from Craftsman bungalows to mid-century ranches, still heat with a gas wall heater or a floor furnace instead of ducted central heat. These units are simple, but many are very old.

When a wall heater is worth repairing

• The pilot will not stay lit (thermocouple, pilot assembly)
• The thermostat or gas valve control has failed and parts are available
• Burners are dirty but the unit and venting are in sound condition

When replacement makes more sense

• Rusted or cracked burners or combustion chamber
• Damaged, disconnected or improperly installed venting
• Parts are no longer made for the model
• Scorched wall or nearby surfaces getting too hot
• You also want cooling in that part of the house

Replacing an old wall heater with a newer direct-vent wall furnace is one option. Another option many LA homeowners choose is a ductless mini-split, which is a heat pump that heats and cools each room with no ducts. If you are weighing gas against electric, read heat pump vs. gas furnace in Los Angeles.

Heat Pump Heating Problems

If your system is a heat pump, heating issues look a little different:

• Cool air during heating: a short burst is normal during defrost. Constant cool air can point to a reversing valve, thermostat setup or refrigerant problem.
• Steam from the outdoor unit: often normal defrost operation on a damp morning.
• Ice that never clears: a defrost control or sensor problem, or blocked airflow at the outdoor coil.
• High winter bills: backup electric heat running more than it should.

More on our heat pump installation and repair page.

Pre-Winter Heating Check

A short visit before the cold weather catches the problems that cause no-heat calls and safety issues. Our pre-winter check covers:

Many homeowners combine this with spring AC maintenance so the whole system gets looked at twice a year. If the furnace blows dusty air when it starts up, the ducts may be part of the story; see duct cleaning and repair.

Heating Service Areas

We repair furnaces and heaters in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, North Hollywood, Glendale and greater Los Angeles. Call (626) 635-4095 and ask for the LA55 service call.