Heating Repair & Maintenance for the Two Cold Weeks Arizona Gets
Heat pump and gas furnace repair, maintenance and replacement in Tempe and the East Valley from a Master Heat Pump Technician. Same techs, same trucks, same upfront pricing as our AC work.
Valley heating gets ignored until the first 38° morning, when it doesn't come on. It's a short season, but a system that hasn't run in heat mode since March fails in predictable ways. We fix them, and better, we catch them in the fall.
Heat pump specialists, not just AC techs
Most Valley homes heat with a heat pump: the same outdoor unit that cools in July runs backwards in January. Owner Eric Lipp is a Master Heat Pump Technician through the Electric League of Arizona, the DOE Energy Skilled–recognized program, and Patriot Air is an APS and SRP qualified contractor. Reversing valves, defrost logic, and charging a heat pump in heat mode are where generalist techs get it wrong. It's what we train for.
What we service
- Heat pumps, the majority of Valley homes. Reversing valves, defrost boards, auxiliary and emergency heat strips, thermostats. Tempe heat pump repair pricing.
- Gas furnaces. Ignitors, flame sensors, pressure switches, inducer motors, gas valves, heat exchangers, and a carbon monoxide test on every visit.
- Electric furnaces and air handlers with heat strips. Sequencers, elements, limit switches.
- Package units with heat. Same rooftop work we do all summer.
Common Arizona heating problems
- Heat pump blowing cold air. Sometimes normal: heat pump air runs 90° to 100°, and a defrost cycle blows cool for a few minutes. Past 10 minutes it's a reversing valve, defrost board, or refrigerant problem. How to tell the difference.
- Aux or emergency heat running constantly. The heat pump isn't keeping up and the strips are carrying the house at three to four times the cost per hour. It shows up on the SRP or APS bill before you feel it.
- Outdoor unit iced over. Light frost on a cold morning is normal. A solid block at noon means the defrost cycle isn't firing.
- Furnace clicks but won't light. Ignitor or flame sensor. Cheap, fast fixes.
- Runs, then shuts off. Dirty filter, limit switch, or a cracked heat exchanger. The last one isn't cheap and is a carbon monoxide risk; we test for it.
- Burning smell on first use. Usually dust burning off the strips or exchanger, normal for a few minutes. If it persists, shut it off and call.
- Breaker trips when the heat comes on. A failed sequencer or shorted heat strip. Breaker tripping guide.
- New thermostat, now it cools on Heat. The O/B reversing valve setting is backwards. One menu change.
What heating repairs cost
| Capacitor or contactor | $150–$350 | Same-visit fix |
| Furnace ignitor or flame sensor | $150–$350 | Most "clicks but won't light" calls |
| Defrost board or sensor | $250–$600 | The usual iced-over fix |
| Heat strip / sequencer | $200–$550 | Per element |
| Refrigerant leak repair and recharge | $500–$1,500 | R-410A. We find the leak; we don't top off |
| Reversing valve | $900–$1,800 | Repair-vs-replace past 12 years |
Your written quote comes before any work. Full heat pump table on the Tempe heat pump repair page.
Fall heating tune-up
Book it in October or November, before the first cold morning. On a heat pump we run it in heat mode, force a defrost cycle, test each heat strip stage, check the reversing valve, and verify the thermostat is staging correctly. On a gas furnace we check ignition, flame sensor, heat exchanger integrity, gas pressure, and safety controls, and run a carbon monoxide test. Same $59.95 per system as the spring AC tune-up.
Replacement
If you're replacing the AC, the heat side comes with it. A heat pump does both. If you have a gas furnace and are choosing, we'll run gas vs. heat pump for your house and your utility; in most of the Valley a heat pump wins on operating cost, and as an APS and SRP qualified contractor we file the utility rebates. The repair-or-replace math applies to heating too.
We cover Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Ahwatukee, Queen Creek and San Tan Valley.
Questions people ask
Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?+
It may be normal. Heat pump air runs 90° to 100°, and a defrost cycle blows cool for 2 to 10 minutes. Longer than that, check that the thermostat is on Heat with the fan on Auto; if it still blows cold, it's usually the reversing valve, defrost board, or low refrigerant.
Why is my electric bill so high in winter?+
The thermostat is leaning on the auxiliary or emergency heat strips instead of the heat pump. Strips cost three to four times more per hour of heat. It usually means the heat pump has a problem or the thermostat is set wrong.
Do you repair gas furnaces?+
Yes. Ignitors, flame sensors, pressure switches, gas valves, heat exchangers, and a carbon monoxide test on every gas visit.
Should I replace my gas furnace with a heat pump?+
In most of the Valley, yes, when it's time to replace. It's cheaper to run for our mild winters, replaces the AC at the same time, and qualifies for APS and SRP rebates. We'll run your numbers.
When should I have heating checked?+
October or November, before the first cold morning. $59.95 per system.