HVAC Repair in Hampton, VA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from May through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Hampton will get in touch.
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Eleven months of work, most years
Hampton only gives your system a month or so off. Heat runs November through April, then cooling takes over from May through September. That is eleven months a year with almost no rest between seasons, and every part in the system logs more hours because of it.
Winter nights average 34°F, cold enough that the burner or the heat strips cycle on and off most of the night. Summer afternoons hit 87°F, and the compressor runs long stretches to keep up. Just over half the homes here heat with electricity, so a heat pump or electric furnace working through those cold nights adds up on the parts that start and stop it. When storms come through, and this area has seen 26 damaging wind events and 5 winter storms over the past ten years, the power can go with them. Statewide, 22% of households lost power for at least a day in 2024. A system that shuts off hard and comes back on rough is more likely to show a problem the next time it runs.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 5 months
- May through September, it cools
- 34°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 87°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license is held by the contractor, not issued job by job. Virginia's Board for Contractors tests and records the person or company before they can take work under that license, so the license travels with the contractor across every job they do, not with any single repair.
For a heating and cooling repair, that license is what stands behind the work. Virginia carves out an exception for jobs under $1,000, which do not need a licensed contractor, so a small repair may fall outside that protection depending on the bill. Above that line, the work is being done by someone the state has tested and keeps a record of.
Sources: Virginia General Assembly · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
- Why is my heat not working?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it is set to heat and the temperature is set above room temperature, since a setting bumped by accident is a common cause. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker for the furnace or air handler, because a tripped breaker will stop it cold with no warning at all. Gas furnaces will not run if the pilot or igniter has failed, and a furnace that shuts off after a short run is often protecting itself from a bad flame sensor or a clogged filter restricting airflow. If your home heats with electric resistance, like about half the homes here do, a failed heating element can leave you with air moving but no warmth in it. Any of these calls for a contractor to confirm and fix, especially with winter nights here averaging 34°F.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- If the blower is running but the air is not cold, the problem is usually with the outdoor unit, not the fan pushing air through your vents. A dirty outdoor coil, a low refrigerant charge, or a compressor that is not starting will all give you moving air with no cooling behind it. Check that the outdoor unit is not blocked by leaves, grass clippings, or anything piled against it, since restricted airflow there stops it from shedding heat. Also check your filter. A clogged filter starves the system of airflow and can ice up the indoor coil, which shows up as warm air blowing even though the system is trying to cool. With summer afternoons here reaching 87°F, this is worth checking the same day you notice it.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Confirm it is set to heat or cool as needed, the batteries are good, and the temperature setting is actually calling for what you want. Next, 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 visibly dirty, since a clogged filter causes problems that look like bigger failures. If you have an outdoor unit, make sure nothing is blocking it. Note anything you noticed before the problem started, like a smell, a noise, or a breaker that tripped, since that detail helps a contractor diagnose it faster. Work like this often runs past what Virginia allows without a licensed contractor, so past this point a contractor will need to look at it and price the repair for your system.