Licensed Maryland HVACR contractor · 41 years in Montgomery County 24/7 emergency service
Poteete HVAC · since 1985

Maryland · Heating · 24/7 emergency

Heating & Furnace Repair Service in Maryland

No-heat calls answered around the clock in winter, with combustion safety testing on every visit — including a carbon monoxide check.

A furnace that will not light on a 20-degree Maryland morning is an emergency, and we treat it as one. We answer no-heat calls 24 hours a day through heating season and carry the parts that account for most failures: igniters, flame sensors, pressure switches, inducer motors, gas valves, capacitors and control boards for the equipment families common in this market.

Every no-heat visit includes a combustion safety check, not just a repair. We test for carbon monoxide, verify draft and inspect the heat exchanger, because a furnace that is running is not automatically a furnace that is safe. If we find a cracked heat exchanger we will red-tag it and explain exactly what we saw and why — and we will show you.

Where we work
Condensing furnace anatomy A cutaway of a high-efficiency gas furnace showing the PVC intake and exhaust, inducer, burners, primary and secondary heat exchangers, blower, filter and condensate drain. Exhaust / intake Inducer draft Heated supply air Secondary HX Primary HX Gas valve ECM blower Filter / return Condensate
Current federal minimums put most new furnaces in the condensing class, which changes the installation more than the appliance: PVC venting instead of the chimney, a trapped and neutralised condensate drain, and a water heater that may be left orphaned in a flue sized for two appliances.

Scope

What the job actually includes

  • Full ignition sequence diagnosis: thermostat call, inducer, pressure switch, igniter, gas valve, flame sense
  • Carbon monoxide test in the flue and in the living space
  • Heat exchanger inspection, with camera documentation when a crack is suspected
  • Gas pressure verification at the manifold and inlet
  • Temperature rise measured against the data plate range
  • Safety switch, limit and rollout testing
  • Stocked common failure parts for same-visit repair on most calls

Maryland specifics

Code, permits and rebates

Maryland law requires carbon monoxide alarms in most residential dwellings with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages, and any furnace repair visit is a reasonable moment to verify yours are present and in date. Repairs themselves do not require a Montgomery County permit, but replacement of the appliance does. If we find a cracked heat exchanger or unsafe draft condition, we are obligated to shut the appliance down and notify you in writing — we will also help you get temporary heat in place the same day.

Licensing

MD HVACR Contractor License #01-XXXXX. All refrigerant handling is performed by EPA Section 608 certified technicians, and equipment replacement is permitted and inspected through the county.

Process

How we run a furnace repair job

  1. Phone triage

    Thermostat batteries, filter condition, the furnace switch that looks like a light switch, a tripped breaker and a condensate float switch tripped by a clogged drain account for a meaningful share of winter no-heat calls. We check those with you before dispatching.

  2. Sequence-of-operation diagnosis

    We watch the furnace attempt to start and identify precisely where the sequence stops. A flashing LED code on the control board narrows it further. This is faster and far more accurate than swapping parts until the symptom goes away.

  3. Combustion safety check

    CO in the flue, draft pressure, flame appearance and heat exchanger condition. This happens on every visit whether or not it relates to your complaint.

  4. Repair and verification

    Part replaced, full cycle run start to finish, temperature rise confirmed inside spec, and readings written on the invoice.

Pricing

What moves the price

We do not publish a single number, because a number without your house attached to it is marketing rather than information. These are the variables that actually decide what a job costs, and we itemise all of them in writing before any work begins.

The failed component

Flame sensors and igniters are inexpensive and common. Inducer motors, gas valves and control boards sit in the middle. Heat exchangers on out-of-warranty equipment usually cost more than the furnace is worth.

Parts availability

Control boards and gas valves for common furnace lines are stocked locally. Proprietary boards for discontinued or premium European equipment sometimes take days, and we will tell you that at diagnosis rather than after.

Emergency timing

Overtime rates apply nights, weekends and holidays. Both rates are quoted before we dispatch.

Questions

Heating & Furnace Repair Service questions

My furnace blows cold air. Why?
The most common causes are a failed igniter or dirty flame sensor causing the burner to light and immediately drop out, a tripped high-limit from restricted airflow, or a thermostat set to FAN ON rather than AUTO, which runs the blower continuously between heating cycles. The last one is free to fix and worth checking first.
What does it mean if my furnace smells like burning dust?
On the first cold morning of the season, a brief burning-dust smell as dust burns off the heat exchanger is normal and clears in an hour. A persistent burning smell, an electrical or plastic smell, or any smell of gas is not. Shut it off and call us; if you smell gas, leave the house first and call Washington Gas from outside.
How do I know if my heat exchanger is cracked?
Signs include flames that flutter or roll out when the blower starts, soot around the burner compartment, a persistent CO alarm and unexplained headaches during heating season. Confirming it requires inspection, usually with a camera. We document what we find so you are not asked to take our word for an expensive conclusion.
Do you work on heat pumps as well as gas furnaces?
Yes — heat pumps, dual-fuel systems, gas and oil furnaces, and electric air handlers. Heat pump no-heat calls in winter often turn out to be a failed defrost board or reversing valve, which presents very differently from a furnace failure.

Talk to a technician

Tell us what the house is doing.

Describe the problem and we will tell you what it usually means, what it typically costs to diagnose, and when we can be there. No obligation, no scripted sales call.

Call (301) 555-0182 Request a quote

Mon–Fri 7:00am–6:00pm · Saturday 8:00am–2:00pm · 24/7 emergency service