HVAC Repair in Lewiston, ME
Homes here need heat from September through May and cooling from July through August. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Androscoggin County will get in touch.
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Nine months of heat, two of cooling, and not much rest between
Your furnace runs from September through May here. On winter nights that average 13°F, it cycles on and off most of the night to hold the house, and every one of those starts is a strain on the igniter and the blower motor. Most homes in the area heat with fuel oil, and an oil furnace has its own wear points, the nozzle, the filter, the burner. When one of those clogs or fails, the house goes cold fast, not gradually.
Summer is short here, just July and August, but afternoons near 77°F still push an air conditioner to keep up. Add in the storms, 45 winter storms and 47 damaging wind events over the last ten years, and the power outages that come with them, and a heating or cooling system in this area has more working against it than most.
- 9 months
- September through May, your system heats
- 2 months
- July through August, it cools
- 13°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 77°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- Why is my heat not working?
- Check the thermostat first. Make sure it is set to heat and the temperature is set above the room temperature, since a setting bumped by accident is a common cause. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker for the furnace and, if you heat with fuel oil, check the tank level. Most furnaces have a flame or ignition problem that shows up as short cycling or no heat at all, and that needs a contractor to diagnose. With winter nights here averaging 13°F, do not wait on a furnace that will not stay running.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Start with the air filter. A clogged filter blocks airflow across the indoor coil, and a coil that cannot get airflow cannot cool the air passing over it. Check that all the supply vents in the house are open and unblocked by furniture or rugs. If the filter is clean and the vents are open but the air coming out feels warm, the system likely has a refrigerant or component problem that needs a contractor to find.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings, the batteries in it if it uses them, and the breaker for the system. Check the air filter and replace it if it looks gray or clogged, since restricted airflow causes both heating and cooling complaints. If the outdoor unit is not running, look for a tripped breaker or a disconnect switch near the unit that may have been bumped. Power outages are common here, with more than half of Maine households losing power for at least 24 hours in 2024, so if the power went out recently, check whether the system simply needs to be reset or turned back on.