HVAC Repair in Lancaster, SC
Homes here need heat from November through March and cooling from May through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Lancaster County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Ten months of work, most years
Your system runs from November through March to keep the house warm, then switches over and runs May through September to keep it cool. That leaves only a few weeks in spring and fall where it gets any real rest. Winter nights averaging 33°F mean the heat exchanger cycles on and off most of the night. Summer afternoons near 89°F push the compressor hard for hours at a stretch, and that is when a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge shows up as a system that runs and runs but never quite cools the house.
Lancaster County also sees its share of rough weather, with 133 damaging wind events and 5 winter storms logged over the past ten years. Storms like that knock out power, and in South Carolina, 45% of households went at least 24 hours without it in 2024. Most systems restart on their own once power comes back, but one that was already struggling before the outage often shows it afterward, refusing to hold a set temperature or short cycling once it's running again.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 5 months
- May through September, it cools
- 33°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 89°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace and air conditioner would cut about $150 a year off heating and cooling for a typical Lancaster County home.
Estimates for a typical Lancaster County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, South Carolina fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, the air conditioner's compressor has failed, or repairs keep coming.
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to heat and the temperature is set above the room temperature, then check the breaker for the furnace or air handler. If the furnace has a standing pilot, check whether it's lit. If it uses an igniter and the burners aren't lighting, the igniter or the flame sensor is often the cause, and that's a repair for a contractor. Winter nights here average 33°F, so a furnace that won't start needs attention the same day.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Check the air filter first. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and when airflow drops enough the coil can ice over so the system runs but blows warm air. Check the outdoor unit too, and clear away any leaves or debris blocking the fan. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is clear and the house still isn't cooling, the system likely needs a contractor to check refrigerant levels or the compressor.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat settings and its batteries if it uses them. Check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker on the furnace, air handler, or outdoor unit. Check the air filter and replace it if it's dirty, since a clogged filter can cause problems in both winter and summer. If the outdoor unit isn't running, make sure nothing is blocking it. If everything checks out and the system still isn't working right, a contractor will need to diagnose it further.