Skip to content

Heating Repair in Palo Alto

The short answer

We repair Palo Alto heating systems of every common type and track down uneven heat, cold rooms and constant running, not just total outages. Diagnosis covers the equipment, the ducts and the thermostat so the fix addresses the real cause.

Some heating calls are simple: the system is off and nothing happens. Many in Palo Alto are subtler. The living room is fine but the back bedroom never warms up, the upstairs is stuffy while the downstairs is cold, or the heat runs constantly and still feels thin. Those are comfort problems as much as equipment problems, and solving them takes looking at the whole house. ExpertFlow HVAC Repair Service travels about four miles from Los Altos to repair furnaces, heat pumps, wall heaters and ductless systems in 94301, 94303, 94304 and 94306. Below we work through the complaints we hear most, room by room.

When nothing heats at all

A complete outage is usually the most straightforward to solve. Check that the thermostat has power and is set to heat, the breaker or switch for the furnace or air handler is on, and the furnace door is fully closed, since many units will not run with the panel loose. Beyond that, the cause is typically an ignition component, a safety switch, a control board, or on heat pumps a refrigerant or defrost fault.

Our technicians follow the sequence of operation and test each part with instruments. Common components such as igniters, flame sensors, capacitors and pressure switches can often be replaced the same visit.

The back bedroom that never warms up

Rooms at the end of long duct runs are the usual suspects. In older Palo Alto homes, ducts in crawlspaces and attics may have separated at joints, been crushed during other work, or lost insulation. An addition might have been tapped into the system with a duct that is simply too small. Closed doors without a return path also starve a room of airflow.

We measure supply temperature and airflow at the registers, inspect accessible ducts and check whether the room has a way for air to get back to the system. Fixes range from sealing and reconnecting ducts to adding a return or a transfer grille, and in some cases a ductless head for that room.

  • Compare supply air temperature at near and far registers
  • Check for disconnected, kinked or uninsulated duct sections
  • Confirm return air paths from closed rooms
  • Verify dampers are open and registers unobstructed

Upstairs warm, downstairs cold

Heat rises, and two-story homes with a single system and one thermostat often show it. If the thermostat sits downstairs, the upstairs overheats while the system tries to satisfy the lower floor. If it sits upstairs, the reverse happens. Balancing dampers, relocating the thermostat, adding zoning or, during a later replacement, splitting the house into two systems can each help. We start with the least invasive adjustment that will make a measurable difference.

Heat runs constantly and feels weak

A furnace that runs long cycles yet delivers lukewarm air may have a clogged filter, a dirty blower wheel or a burner problem. On heat pumps, constant running with cool supply air can point to low refrigerant, a stuck reversing valve or failed defrost controls, while auxiliary electric heat kicking in frequently suggests the heat pump is not carrying its share. Thermostats configured for the wrong system type also cause this, a common issue after a smart thermostat upgrade.

We check temperature rise or supply temperature against the equipment's specifications, inspect the blower, and review thermostat settings before recommending parts.

Planning beyond the repair

If your equipment is near the end of its service life, we will tell you, and we can explain what a replacement would look like. The Bay Area Air District rules for gas furnaces do not require you to remove working equipment, so a successful repair can buy time to plan. Palo Alto's mild, damp winters make heat pumps a practical option when that time comes. We repair heating systems in Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, East Palo Alto, Atherton and Portola Valley as well.

More services in Palo Alto

Related

What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. Findings you can see

    Meter readings, photos of worn parts and a short written summary come with every diagnostic visit, so you are never asked to approve work on faith.

  2. Options, not ultimatums

    When a repair and a replacement are both reasonable, we lay out what each one involves and let you choose the timing that fits your home and budget.

  3. Straight talk on rules and incentives

    We follow Bay Area Air District appliance rules closely and confirm current BayREN or clean energy provider incentives before mentioning them in a quote.

FAQ

Common questions

Why is one room in my Palo Alto house always cold?

Leaky or undersized ducts, a missing return path or a long duct run are common causes. We measure airflow to pinpoint it.

Can zoning fix uneven heating between floors?

Often. Zoning, damper balancing or thermostat relocation can improve it, and we start with the simplest option that works.

My heat pump runs all the time. Is that normal?

Heat pumps run longer cycles than furnaces, but constant running with cool air or frequent backup heat signals a problem worth checking.

Do you repair wall heaters and ductless units?

Yes. We repair wall furnaces, ductless heads and outdoor units in addition to central furnaces and heat pumps.

Could my new smart thermostat cause heating problems?

Yes, if it is wired or configured for the wrong system type. We check settings and wiring as part of the visit.

Which areas near Palo Alto do you serve?

Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, East Palo Alto, Atherton and Portola Valley, plus all Palo Alto ZIP codes.

Tell Us What Your System Is Doing

Describe the noise, smell, error code or uneven room, and we will set up a visit to find the cause and walk you through your options.

Request Service Call (650) 668-0834
Call (650) 668-0834 Request Service