HVAC Repair in Columbia, MD
Homes here need heat from October through April and cooling from June through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Howard County will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work, then a storm knocks out the power
Your furnace works from October through April here, and once summer hits your AC picks up right where it left off. Only one month off in between. That is eleven months a year your system is expected to run, and on winter nights near 26°F the burner is cycling on and off most of the night to keep up.
About half the homes in this area heat with electricity, so when the power goes out, the heat goes out with it. Howard County has seen 22 winter storms and 177 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and across Maryland 11% of households lost power for a full day or more in 2024 alone. A furnace or heat pump that was already working hard is the one most likely to fail when the power comes back on and it has to restart under load.
- 7 months
- October through April, your system heats
- 4 months
- June through September, it cools
- 26°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 85°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Maryland requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Maryland Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors tests and licenses HVACR contractors before they can take on work like this. The license belongs to the contractor, not to the job, so the same license covers a repair call and a full installation alike.
For a repair on your system, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work. Maryland tested them before they were allowed to hold it, and the board keeps a record of who they are.
Sources: Maryland General Assembly · Maryland Department of Labor
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. If it's set to heat and the temperature is up but nothing happens, check the breaker for the furnace or air handler next. A furnace that won't light is often a bad igniter or flame sensor, and one that runs but blows cold air can mean the pilot went out or the gas valve isn't opening. If you heat with electricity, like about half the homes here do, a tripped breaker or a bad heat strip can cause the same no-heat problem. Nights here average 26°F in the coldest months, so this isn't something to leave for later. A contractor can find out which part failed.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- The system is running but the air coming out isn't cold, or it is but the house never gets there. Check the air filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and the coil can ice up when that happens, which makes the problem worse the longer it runs. If the filter looks fine, the coil outside might be caked with dirt and grass, or the system could be low on refrigerant. On 85°F afternoons, a unit that's already struggling won't keep up, so it's worth having someone check refrigerant levels and the coil rather than waiting it out.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat is set correctly and has power, including batteries if it uses them. Check the breaker for the furnace, air handler, or outdoor unit hasn't tripped. Pull the air filter and look at it against the light. If it's gray and you can't see through it, replace it, since a blocked filter causes both heating and cooling problems. Look at the outdoor unit too. If it's covered in leaves or debris, clear the area around it. If none of that changes anything, tell the contractor what you checked. It saves time on the visit.