24/7 emergency HVAC repair in Santa Rosa, CA

What counts as an HVAC emergency

• No cooling during a heat wave, with an elderly person, infant, pregnant person, or someone with a heart, lung, or kidney condition at home.
• No heat on a cold night, with the same kinds of people in the house.
• A burning or electrical smell, or smoke, from the furnace, air handler, outdoor unit, or vents.
• A breaker that trips again after you've reset it once.
• Water coming through a ceiling below attic equipment, or spreading across the floor from a furnace or air handler.
• Loud banging, grinding, or screeching that starts suddenly. Shut the system off.
• Gas smell or CO alarm: call 911 or PG&E (1-800-743-5000) from outside first, then call us once it's safe.

HVAC problems that can usually wait until morning

These can usually wait for a daytime visit, which can also cost less:

• No heat on a mild night when everyone at home is healthy.
• One room is warmer or cooler than the rest.
• The system runs but cools or heats more weakly than usual (turn it off if there's ice on the lines).
• A blank thermostat. Try new batteries first.
• A slow drip that the float switch has already stopped by shutting off the system.
• Higher energy bills, or a new but mild noise.

If you aren't sure, call. We'll ask a few questions and help you decide whether it's an emergency or can wait for a scheduled appointment.

What to do while you wait for an emergency HVAC technician

• Burning smell or tripped breaker: turn the system off at the thermostat and at the breaker. Don't reset the breaker again.
• Water leak: turn the system off, put a bucket and towels under the drip, and move belongings. If water is coming from attic equipment, poke a small hole in the bulging part of the ceiling stain over a bucket. That releases the water in one place instead of letting the drywall come down.
• No AC in the heat: close blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows, run ceiling and box fans, keep everyone in the coolest room (often the lowest floor), and drink water. If someone shows signs of heat illness such as confusion, fainting, or hot dry skin, call 911.
• No heat in the cold: close off unused rooms and layer clothing and blankets. If you use a space heater, keep it 3 feet from anything that can burn, plug it straight into the wall, and never use an oven, grill, or generator indoors for heat.
• Ice on the AC lines: set the system to Off and the fan to On so the ice melts.

How our 24-hour HVAC repair works

1. You call, at any hour. Tell us what's happening, who's at home, and anything you've already tried.
2. Safety first, over the phone. If there's a hazard, we'll tell you how to shut the system down safely before a technician arrives.
3. A technician is dispatched. Ask about after-hours charges and an expected arrival time on the call.
4. Diagnosis and making it safe. The first priority is a safe system. The second is getting heat or cooling back.
5. Repair, or a temporary fix if needed. When the right part isn't available at night, the technician will explain what can be done now and what has to wait for the part.

Power outages, PSPS shutoffs, and HVAC failures in Santa Rosa

PG&E has used Public Safety Power Shutoffs in Sonoma County during high fire-risk wind events, and winter storms knock out power across Santa Rosa from time to time. The outage itself rarely damages HVAC equipment. The trouble usually starts when power comes back.

When the grid is restored, voltage can surge and dip for a few minutes while every house on the street restarts at once. An air conditioner or heat pump that tries to restart right away may be starting a compressor against refrigerant pressures that haven't equalized yet.

Weak capacitors, contactors, and control boards often fail at exactly that moment. Many of the "it worked before the outage and now it just hums" calls come from this.

What to do in an outage:

• Set the thermostat to Off as soon as the power goes out.
• Once power is back, wait 10 minutes, then turn the system back on.
• If it doesn't start, check the breakers. If the outdoor unit hums without the fan spinning, turn it off and call.
• Remember that gas furnaces need electricity too, for the igniter, inducer, and blower. No power means no heat from any central system.

A whole-home or HVAC surge protector, installed at the outdoor unit's disconnect or the electrical panel, is a reasonable add-on for homes in areas that see frequent outages.

What affects the cost of emergency HVAC repair

• Time of the call: nights, weekends, and holidays can carry after-hours rates. Ask on the phone before the visit.
• What failed: a capacitor, a contactor, or clearing a clogged drain are small repairs. Compressors, coils, and control boards are larger ones.
• Part availability: some parts can't be bought at night, which may mean a temporary fix now and a second visit to finish the job.
• Access and conditions: attic work in a heat wave and crawlspace work in the rain take more time.
• Related damage: water-damaged drywall or insulation is a separate repair after the HVAC problem is fixed.

Emergency calls are one part of the 24/7 HVAC service in Santa Rosa we provide. For problems that aren't urgent, see AC repair, furnace repair, or heat pump repair.

Emergency AC and furnace repair FAQs