HVAC and insulation in Seattle

What we work on

• HVAC repair

  Heating and cooling systems that won't start, won't keep up or make noise, diagnosed and fixed in your Seattle home.

  What it involves: HVAC repair

  Most calls start with a symptom: no heat, warm air from the vents, a system that short-cycles or rattles. We take readings first, temperatures, amp draw and airflow, so the fix is based on what the equipment is actually doing.

  Once we know the failed part and why it failed, we explain it and give you a written price before any work starts.

  • Thermostat and power checks before anything is opened
  • Electrical readings on motors, capacitors and contactors
  • Airflow and filter check at the air handler
  • Written price before the repair
  • System run and checked again after the fix

  Do you repair both heating and cooling systems in Seattle?

  Yes. We work on furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners in homes across Seattle and West Seattle.

  Can you come out after hours?

  We're available around the clock, 365 days a year. Call and tell us what the system is doing.

• Attic insulation

  Attic insulation added or replaced so your Seattle home holds heat in winter and stays cooler upstairs in summer.

  What it involves: Attic insulation

  Many older Seattle homes have attics with thin, settled or patchy insulation. Heat rises straight through it, and the furnace or heat pump makes up the difference on your bill.

  We look at what is up there now, how deep it is and where air leaks in from the rooms below. Then we explain what we would add or replace and give you a written price.

  • Attic inspection and depth of existing insulation
  • Gaps around lights, hatches and plumbing checked
  • Damaged or wet insulation pointed out
  • Written scope and price before work
  • Attic left clean and the hatch closed

  Are you an insulation contractor in Seattle, WA?

  Yes. Insulation is one of our two main trades, alongside heating and cooling, and we insulate attics in Seattle and West Seattle.

  Will more attic insulation lower my heating bill?

  If your attic is under-insulated, adding more cuts the heat your system loses through the ceiling. We check what you have first so you know whether it is worth doing.

• Heat pump service

  Heat pumps checked and repaired for heating and cooling, including defrost problems and backup heat that runs too often.

  What it involves: Heat pump service

  A heat pump heats and cools with the same equipment, so a fault can show up in either season. Common signs are an outdoor unit iced over, backup heat running constantly, or a system that cools but won't heat.

  We check the reversing valve, defrost controls and backup heat, then tell you what failed and what it takes to fix it.

  • Heating and cooling modes both tested
  • Defrost controls and outdoor coil checked
  • Backup heat and its controls inspected
  • Thermostat settings matched to the equipment
  • Written price before any repair

  Why is my heat pump's outdoor unit covered in ice?

  Some frost in cold weather is normal and the unit should clear it on its own. If it stays iced, the defrost control, a sensor, low airflow or low refrigerant is usually the cause, and we test for each.

• Furnace repair

  No heat, short heat or a furnace that starts and shuts off, traced to the failed part and fixed.

  What it involves: Furnace repair

  When a furnace won't heat, the fault is usually in the ignition, the flame sensor, the inducer motor or a safety switch that keeps shutting it down. We work through the start-up sequence step by step until we find where it stops.

  We also look for the reason a part failed, such as a clogged filter or blocked vent, so the same call doesn't come back next month.

  • Start-up sequence watched from call to flame
  • Ignition and flame sensor checked
  • Inducer, pressure and limit switches tested
  • Filter and venting inspected
  • Written price before the repair

  My furnace starts, then shuts off after a minute. Why?

  Often a dirty flame sensor or an overheating limit switch from poor airflow. We test both and check the filter and vents before replacing anything.

• Air conditioning repair

  Air conditioners that blow warm, freeze up or won't start, diagnosed and repaired.

  What it involves: Air conditioning repair

  Seattle summers are short, but a hot week in an upstairs bedroom is long. When an AC blows warm air, freezes over or hums without starting, the cause is often a capacitor, a contactor, a dirty coil or a refrigerant leak.

  We measure before we replace. If refrigerant is low, we look for the leak rather than just topping it up.

  • Capacitor and contactor tested
  • Indoor and outdoor coils inspected
  • Refrigerant pressures read
  • Drain line checked for clogs
  • Written price before the repair

  Does my AC need refrigerant added every year?

  No. A sealed system doesn't use up refrigerant. If it's low, there's a leak, and adding more without finding it only buys a short time.

• Attic fan installation

  Attic fans installed to move hot air out of the attic and take load off the rooms below.

  What it involves: Attic fan installation

  A hot attic pushes heat down into the top floor and makes the cooling system work harder. An attic fan pulls that air out.

  Then we recommend placement and give you a written price.

  • Existing roof and soffit venting checked
  • Fan placement planned with intake air in mind
  • Ceiling air leaks below the attic noted
  • Written price before installation
  • Fan tested once installed

  Do you install attic fans in Seattle?

  Yes. We install attic fans in Seattle and West Seattle homes, and we check the attic venting and insulation at the same visit.

• Maintenance and tune-ups

  Seasonal checks on your furnace, heat pump or AC so small problems are caught before the cold or the heat arrives.

  What it involves: Maintenance and tune-ups

  A tune-up is a chance to find the weak capacitor, the dirty coil or the clogged drain while the weather is mild. We check the electrical parts, the coils, the filter and the drain, and on gas equipment the burners and venting.

  You get a plain account of what we found and anything worth fixing now. Landlords can schedule several units the same way.

  • Filter checked or replaced
  • Electrical parts tested under load
  • Coils and condensate drain inspected
  • Burners and venting checked on gas units
  • Notes on what we found left with you

  How often should I change my furnace filter?

  Check a one-inch filter monthly and change it every one to three months, sooner with pets. Thicker media filters usually last six to twelve months.

• Ductwork and airflow

  Rooms that stay too hot or too cold traced to leaking, crushed or undersized ducts.

  What it involves: Ductwork and airflow

  When one room never matches the rest of the house, the equipment is rarely the problem. It is usually the ducts: a crushed run, a disconnected joint, a missing return or a duct running through an uninsulated attic.

  We measure airflow at the problem rooms and at the system, find where air is being lost, and price the fix.

  • Airflow measured at problem rooms
  • Duct joints and runs inspected
  • Leaks sealed where reachable
  • Return air paths checked
  • Attic duct insulation looked at

  Why is one room always colder than the rest of the house?

  Usually airflow: a long or crushed duct, a leaking joint, or no return path when the door is shut. Measuring at that register shows which it is.

How a call runs

1. 1

   Call

   Call or send the form with your name, number and a line about the problem. We're available around the clock, 365 days a year.

2. 2

   Diagnose

   We take readings on the equipment, and look at the attic or ducts when they're part of the problem, before saying what's wrong.

3. 3

   Price

   You get a written price for the repair or the insulation work before anything starts, and we explain the options plainly.

4. 4

   Fix and check

   We do the work, run the system again and show you what changed before we leave.