Furnace Repair in Indianola, IA
Furnaces here run from October through May. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Warren County will get in touch.
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Eight months of heat puts real wear on your furnace
In Indianola, your furnace works from October through May. That is eight months of the year, with winter nights averaging 17°F from December through February. On nights that cold, the burner cycles on and off many times to hold the temperature, and every start puts a little more wear on the igniter and the ignition control board.
Warren County has seen 21 winter storms and 66 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Wind that strong can push exhaust back down the vent pipe or blow out a pilot light, and a power outage during a storm will shut the whole system down until it comes back on. Most furnaces restart on their own once power returns, but if yours does not, that is worth a call.
- 8 months
- October through May, your furnace is on duty
- 17°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 54%
- of homes here heat with gas, so most furnaces here burn gas
- 21 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace would cut about $100 a year off heating for a typical Warren County home.
Estimates for a typical Warren County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Iowa fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound.
Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked or the furnace keeps needing parts.
Iowa requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Iowa licenses HVAC contractors through the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board. The license covers the contractor, not each job, so it stands behind everything they do rather than being issued fresh for each repair.
For a furnace repair, that license is what stands behind the work you're getting. In Warren County, more than half of homes heat with gas, so this is the kind of repair the state's licensing exists for.
Sources: Iowa Legislature · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to heat and set a few degrees above room temperature, and check its batteries if it has them. If that's not it, check the breaker and the furnace's own power switch, which looks like a regular light switch near the unit. Many furnaces also have a door that has to be seated shut against a safety switch, so a loose panel can stop it from starting. If none of that works, a licensed contractor can find out whether the problem is the igniter, the flame sensor, or something electrical.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- If air is running but not warm, the furnace may just be starting a cycle. It takes a minute or two after the blower kicks on for the air to heat up, so cool air right at startup is normal. If it stays cool the whole cycle, check your filter first, since a clogged one can choke the airflow the burners need to heat properly. A furnace that runs constantly on cold air, or shuts off and restarts on its own, needs a contractor to look at the burners or the flame sensor.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- This usually means the thermocouple isn't sensing the flame anymore, so the gas valve shuts off as a safety measure. It can also mean a draft is blowing the pilot out, or the pilot orifice is dirty and the flame is too weak to hold. You can try relighting it following the instructions on the furnace, but if it goes out again, don't keep relighting it. A contractor licensed through the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board can check the thermocouple and the gas valve safely.