HVAC Repair in Lake Charles, LA
Homes here need heat from November through March and cooling from April through October. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Calcasieu Parish will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Twelve months of work for your system, and storms on top of it
There is no real off season here. Your system needs to cool the house from April through October, when summer afternoons average 91°F, then switch over and heat it from November through March. Winter nights average 44°F, mild compared to a lot of places, but the unit still runs almost the entire year without much of a break. That kind of steady use wears on the compressor and the fan motor before it wears on much else.
Most homes in the area heat with electricity, so when the power goes out, the heat goes with it. That matters here more than most places. Calcasieu Parish has seen 77 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and across Louisiana almost half of households lost power for at least a day in 2024 alone. A system that already runs hard all year is also one that has to restart and recover often, and that is when a weak capacitor or a failing part tends to show itself.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 7 months
- April through October, it cools
- 44°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Louisiana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors issues that license. It belongs to the contractor, not to the job, so it does not expire when the repair is done and does not need to be renewed for each new call.
For a repair to a heating and cooling system, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work. It is the state's record that this contractor, not just this job, has met the board's requirement.
Source: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
- Why is my heat not working?
- The first thing to check is the thermostat. Make sure it is set to heat and set a few degrees above room temperature, and check that it has power or fresh batteries. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker for the furnace or air handler, since a tripped breaker will cut heat with no other warning sign. Gas furnaces have an igniter that wears out over time and a flame sensor that will shut the burners off if it gets dirty. If your furnace was electric and the power went out recently, most furnaces do come back on by themselves once power is restored, so it may point to something else. A contractor can test the igniter, the flame sensor, and the control board to find which one is causing it.
- Why is my system running but not cooling the house?
- Start with the air filter. A clogged filter chokes off airflow across the coil, and on a 91°F afternoon that can be the difference between cool air and warm air coming out of the vents. Next check that all your supply vents are open and nothing is blocking a return. If the filter and vents are fine, the outdoor unit could be low on refrigerant or the outdoor coil could be caked with dirt and grass clippings, both of which stop the system from moving heat out of the house. A dirty outdoor coil can sometimes be rinsed off, but refrigerant work has to be done by a licensed contractor.
- What can I check before calling for HVAC repair?
- Check the thermostat first. Confirm it is set to the mode you want, heat or cool, and that the temperature setting is actually past where the room is. Check the breaker box for a tripped breaker, since that alone will stop a furnace or air conditioner cold. Look at the air filter and replace it if it is gray or clogged, since restricted airflow causes problems on both the heating and cooling side. If the outdoor unit is not running, check that it has not been shut off at a nearby disconnect switch. Once you have checked those, a contractor can take it from there and diagnose what the system itself needs.