HVAC Repair in Wilmington, NC
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 New Hanover County will get in touch.
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Ten months of work a year on your system
Your heat runs November through March here. Your air conditioner runs May through September. That leaves only a couple of months when the system gets to rest. Summer afternoons averaging 88°F push the compressor hard for five months straight. Winter lows near 36°F mean the heat is cycling on through most nights from December through February.
Most homes here heat with electricity, so a heat pump or electric furnace carries that winter load on its own. The coast adds its own wear. This area has seen six winter storms and 59 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Wind can loosen an outdoor unit's connections or drive debris into the cabinet. A quarter of North Carolina households lost power for a full day or more in 2024. Most systems come back on their own when the power returns, but one already worn from a full season of heavy use is the one that does not.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 5 months
- May through September, it cools
- 36°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 88°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
North Carolina requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors is the body that licenses HVAC contractors in North Carolina. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license covers this repair and whatever work that contractor takes on next.
For a repair to your heating and cooling system, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work.
Sources: North Carolina General Assembly · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- Why is my heat not working?
- Most often it is the igniter or the flame sensor if you have a furnace, or the thermostat setting if you have a heat pump. With 88.1% of homes here heating with electricity, a heat pump that will not warm the house can also mean it is stuck in defrost or the outdoor unit is iced over and not clearing. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, and check the breaker for the furnace or air handler. If the outdoor unit is caked in ice and it has not cleared within an hour, that points to a problem a contractor needs to look at.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Start with the filter. A filter clogged with dust blocks airflow across the coil, and the coil can ice over, which means the air coming out feels warm instead of cold. Check the outdoor unit too. If the coil outside is covered in leaves or debris, or the fan is not spinning, the system cannot get rid of the heat it is pulling out of the house. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is clear but the house still is not cooling, the refrigerant charge or the compressor may be the issue, and that is a contractor's job to diagnose.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Make sure it is set to the mode you want, heat or cool, and that the batteries are not dead. Check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker on the furnace, air handler, or outdoor unit. Look at the filter and replace it if it is dark with dust, since a blocked filter can cause problems that look like something more serious. If the outdoor unit is running, make sure nothing is blocking it and that the area around it is clear. With 59 damaging wind events recorded here over the past ten years, it is also worth checking for storm debris caught in the outdoor unit or the vent hood before assuming the worst.