Heating
Furnace Repair in Oakland County
When your furnace quits, blows cold air or starts making noises it never made before, call the family-owned crew that shows up on time. We find the real cause, explain it in plain English and give you the price before any work begins.
Tell us what it is doing. We will tell you straight what happens next.
- Family-owned for 7 years
- On time, as promised
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
Honest furnace repair from a family-owned crew
A furnace rarely fails at a convenient moment. It quits on the first cold night of a Michigan winter, or it runs and runs while the house stays chilly. Maverick Heating and Cooling has been fixing furnaces across Oakland County for 7 years, and the way we work has not changed: we arrive when we said we would, we find out what actually failed, and we tell you what it will cost before we pick up a tool.
We are a family business with a crew of four. Most furnace repairs come down to a handful of parts. If your furnace is not worth repairing, we will say so and show you why. If all it needs is a new filter, we will tell you that too. Every furnace repair is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
What to watch for
Signs your furnace needs repair
These are the calls we get most often, and what each one usually points to.
Furnace blowing cold air
Check that the thermostat fan is set to AUTO, not ON. If it is, the burners are probably shutting off early because of a clogged filter, a dirty flame sensor or an ignition problem.
Furnace will not turn on
A tripped breaker, a furnace switch that got bumped off or dead thermostat batteries are the easy answers. After that, the usual causes are a failed igniter, a control board fault or a safety switch doing its job.
Turning on and off every few minutes
Short cycling is hard on a furnace. A dirty filter, blocked vents and a dirty flame sensor are the common causes. A furnace that is too big for the house will do it too.
Banging, rattling or squealing
A bang at start-up often means the burners are lighting late. Squealing usually points to the blower motor or its bearings, and rattling to a loose panel or a part on its way out.
Running, but the house stays cold
Weak airflow from a clogged filter, a tired blower motor or leaking ducts can leave rooms cold even while the furnace runs. A thermostat in the wrong spot can do the same.
A burning smell or a yellow flame
A dusty smell for the first hour of the season is normal. A smell that lingers, scorch marks, soot or a yellow flame is not. Shut the furnace off, leave it off and call. If anyone feels unwell, get outside and call 911.
Water around the furnace
High-efficiency furnaces make water as they run. A blocked drain line or trap sends that water onto the floor and can shut the furnace down.
What we do
Furnace problems we fix
We repair gas furnaces of most makes and models, including high-efficiency condensing units, along with propane and electric furnaces.
Igniters and pilot assemblies
The part that lights the burners. Hot surface igniters crack with age and are one of the most common reasons a furnace will not fire.
Flame sensors
A thin rod that proves the burners are lit. When it gets coated, the furnace lights and then shuts down a few seconds later.
Blower motors and capacitors
The motor that moves warm air through the house, and the capacitor that helps it start. Weak airflow, humming and squealing begin here.
Inducer motors and pressure switches
These clear the exhaust gases and confirm the vent is open before the burners light. A fault here keeps the furnace from starting at all.
Limit switches and overheating
A safety that shuts the burners off when the furnace gets too hot. We fix what is causing the overheating, not just the switch.
Control boards and wiring
The brain of the furnace. We read the fault codes, test the board and the wiring, and replace only what has failed.
Thermostat problems
Sometimes the furnace is fine and the thermostat is not. We test it, check the wiring and can replace the thermostat if that is what it takes.
Condensate drains and pumps
Blocked drains, traps and pumps on high-efficiency furnaces, cleared and tested so the water goes where it should.
Burners and gas valves
Dirty burners, a weak flame and gas valve faults, diagnosed and repaired, with the furnace tested before we leave.
What to check before you call for furnace repair
A few minutes with these checks can save you a service call. If one of them solves it, good. If not, you will be able to tell us exactly what the furnace is doing, and that helps us fix it faster. All of them are safe for any homeowner. Anything involving the gas valve, the burners or the wiring is not.
- Thermostat set to HEAT, fan on AUTO, with fresh batteries
- Furnace power switch on and the breaker not tripped
- A clean filter, since a clogged one can shut a furnace down by itself
- Supply registers and return grilles open, not covered by furniture or rugs
- The furnace door fully closed, because most furnaces will not run with it open
- Outdoor intake and exhaust pipes clear of snow, ice and leaves
Smell gas, or hear a carbon monoxide alarm?
Do not call us first. If you smell gas, leave the house right away. Do not flip switches, look for the leak or use a phone inside. From outside, call 911 and your gas utility. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911. Once it is safe, we will find and fix the cause.
Repair or replace your furnace?
Most furnaces last 15 to 20 years. If yours is under about 10 years old and has been reliable, a repair is almost always the right call. The decision gets harder when an older furnace needs an expensive part, or when it has needed several repairs over the last couple of winters.
A common rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than half the price of a new furnace, replacement deserves a serious look. We will give you both numbers and our honest opinion, then leave the decision with you. If replacing makes more sense, here is how we handle furnace installation.
What does furnace repair cost?
It depends on what failed. Cleaning a flame sensor or replacing an igniter is a small job. A blower motor, an inducer motor or a control board costs more, and parts for some furnaces are harder to get than others. The age of the furnace and how easy it is to reach play a part as well.
What you can count on from us is the order of things. We diagnose the problem, explain what we found and give you the price before the repair begins, so you decide with the full picture. Call 248-930-2080 and tell us what your furnace is doing.
How to avoid the next breakdown
Many of the no-heat calls we run in January trace back to things a fall check would have caught: a dirty flame sensor, a weak igniter, a clogged filter or a failing capacitor. A yearly furnace tune-up is the simplest way to keep a small problem from turning into a cold house. Between visits, change the filter on schedule and keep the vents open.
How it works
What happens when you call
You call us
Tell us what the furnace is doing and roughly how old it is, if you know. We will give you a straight answer on when we can be there.
We show up on time
A member of our crew arrives when we said we would and goes straight to the furnace to find the cause, not just the symptom.
You get the price first
We show you what failed, explain your options in plain English and tell you what the repair costs. Nothing starts until you say so.
Fixed right
We make the repair, run the furnace through a full heating cycle and check our work. It is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Why Maverick
Family-owned, on time and honest for 7 years
Family-owned
A family business with a crew of four, in business for 7 years.
On time
You planned your day around us. When we give you a time, that is when we are at your door.
Honest work
We show you what is wrong and tell you the price before we start. If a small fix does it, we say so.
100% satisfaction guaranteed
We stand behind every job. Your satisfaction is guaranteed, 100%.
Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
Start with the thermostat. If the fan is set to ON instead of AUTO, the blower runs between heating cycles and the air feels cold. If the setting is right, the burners are likely shutting off early. The usual causes are a clogged filter that makes the furnace overheat, a dirty flame sensor or an ignition fault. Change the filter first. If that does not fix it, the furnace needs a proper diagnosis.
Why won't my furnace turn on?
Check the simple things first: the thermostat is set to HEAT and has good batteries, the furnace switch is on, the breaker has not tripped and the furnace door is fully closed. If all of that checks out, the most common causes are a failed igniter, a dirty flame sensor, a pressure switch fault or a control board problem. If the house is getting cold fast, see emergency furnace repair.
Why does my furnace keep turning on and off?
That is called short cycling, and it usually means the furnace is overheating or losing its flame signal. A dirty filter is the first thing to check, followed by closed or blocked vents. A dirty flame sensor will also shut the burners down after a few seconds. Less often, the furnace is simply too large for the house and heats it in short bursts.
How much does furnace repair cost in Oakland County?
It depends on the part that failed, the type of furnace and how hard it is to reach. A small repair such as cleaning a flame sensor costs far less than replacing a blower motor or a control board. We will not surprise you afterward: we diagnose the problem and give you the price before we start the repair. Call 248-930-2080.
Is it worth repairing a 15- or 20-year-old furnace?
Often, yes, if the repair is minor and the furnace has been reliable. Furnaces typically last 15 to 20 years, so at that age a large repair bill deserves a second thought. If the repair would cost more than half the price of a new furnace, or it is the third repair in two winters, replacement is usually the better use of your money. We will lay out both options honestly.
Can a dirty filter really stop a furnace from working?
Yes. A clogged filter starves the furnace of air, the furnace overheats and a safety switch shuts the burners off. It may restart and shut down again, over and over. Check the filter every month during the heating season and change it at least every three months, more often if you have pets or are remodeling.
What does the blinking light on my furnace mean?
Most furnaces have a small light on the control board that blinks a fault code, and you can usually see it through a small window in the door. Count the flashes and tell us the pattern when you call. Leave the door on, because taking it off cuts the power and on some furnaces clears the code. The code narrows things down, but it names a symptom, not the failed part, so it still takes testing to find the cause.
Do you repair every brand of furnace?
We work on most makes and models of gas furnace, including high-efficiency condensing units, as well as propane and electric furnaces. If you can, have the make and the approximate age ready when you call 248-930-2080. It helps us arrive prepared.
Keep reading
Related services
Other work we do alongside furnace repair.
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Heating
Furnace Tune-Ups
A real fall tune-up: cleaned, tested and inspected, with anything we find explained before it is fixed.
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Heating
Furnace Installation
A new furnace sized to your house by calculation, installed carefully and tested before we leave.
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No heat or no cooling
Emergency Repair
No heat or no cooling? Call, tell us what is happening and get a straight answer on how soon we can come.
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Controls
Thermostats
Smart, programmable and basic thermostats installed, wired and set up right. Blank screens fixed too.
Where we work
Furnace Repair across Oakland County
We are a family-owned crew of four serving these communities and the towns around them.
- Troy
- Rochester Hills
- Royal Oak
- Southfield
- Farmington Hills
- Novi
- Waterford
- West Bloomfield
- Pontiac
- Bloomfield Hills
- Birmingham
- Auburn Hills
- Clarkston
- Lake Orion
Do not see your town? Call 248-930-2080 and ask, or see our full service area.
Too hot or too cold?
Call the family that shows up
On time. Honest about the problem and the price. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
248-930-2080Maverick Heating and Cooling · Family-owned · Oakland County, MI