Furnace Repair in Sarasota That Brings the Warmth Back Fast
A broken furnace or heat strip in Sarasota rarely gets noticed until the first cold front in January, because we hardly ever need heat. We handle heating repair in Sarasota for heat strips, heat pumps in heat mode and gas furnaces, usually the same day you call.
- Heat strips and sequencers
- Heat pump heating mode
- Gas furnace safety checks
- Same day visits on most calls
Tell us what is happening and a local dispatcher will confirm your visit. Most calls get a same day visit.
No spam. No obligation. Just practical help.
Serving Sarasota and Manatee County
No obligation, price agreed first
Most repairs done on the first visit
On most calls, most days
Furnace Service in Sarasota for Electric and Gas Systems
Most Sarasota homes don’t have a furnace in the northern sense. The “furnace” is usually one of three things, and the fix depends on which you have.
Same day visits
Heating repairHeat strips, heat pumps and gas furnaces
Electric heat strips
Coils inside the air handler that glow like a toaster. Common in condos and older homes with straight AC. Simple, reliable, and expensive to run.
Heat pump
The same outdoor unit that cools you runs in reverse to heat. Most homes built in the last 30 years have one. See heat pump repair in Sarasota.
Gas furnace
Found in some homes with natural gas service. Paired with an AC coil for cooling. Needs a yearly safety check.
Heat pump with backup strips
The most common setup. The heat pump does the work, and the strips kick in on the coldest mornings or during defrost.
Heating Problems We Fix
- No heat at all. Often a failed sequencer or relay on the heat strips, a tripped high limit switch, or a thermostat that isn’t calling for heat.
- Lukewarm air. One of several heat strip elements has burned out, or the heat pump is low on refrigerant.
- Breaker trips when the heat comes on. Heat strips draw a lot of power. A breaker that trips points to a shorted element or a loose connection. Leave it off and call us. If it happens at night with someone vulnerable at home, use our emergency repair line.
- High electric bill in winter. The backup strips are running far more than they should, usually because of a thermostat setting or a weak heat pump.
- Gas furnace won’t light. Usually a dirty flame sensor, a failed igniter or an issue with the gas valve.
That burning smell on the first cold morning is normally dust burning off the heat strips after months of sitting idle. It should fade within half an hour. If it smells electrical, like hot plastic, or doesn’t go away, switch the system off and call us.
No heat on a cold morning?
Most heating calls get a same day visit. Ask for a free quote or call now.
Gas Furnace Safety
If your home has a gas furnace, it needs a yearly check that includes the heat exchanger, burners, flue and gas connections. A cracked heat exchanger can leak carbon monoxide into the home, and it’s not something you can see or smell.
Every home with gas appliances should have working carbon monoxide alarms. If one goes off, get everyone outside, call 911, and don’t go back in until the fire department says it’s safe. Then call us to inspect the furnace before it runs again.
Getting Ready Before the First Cold Front
Sarasota usually sees its first real cold mornings sometime between December and February, and heating calls spike the same week. Avoid the rush by testing your heat in November. Set the thermostat to heat, raise it a few degrees above room temperature, and check warm air comes out within a few minutes.
Better still, book a fall HVAC maintenance visit. We test the heating side as part of every fall tune-up.
Is It Time for Something More Efficient?
If you heat with electric strips alone, switching to a heat pump can cut your heating costs substantially, and you get a more efficient AC at the same time. When your current system is near replacement age, our AC installation in Sarasota page explains how we size and price new systems. For a closer look at all our Sarasota HVAC services, start there.
We repair heating systems across Sarasota, including The Meadows, Palmer Ranch and Lakewood Ranch, plus Bradenton. If the problem is cooling rather than heat, book an AC repair visit.
Related services
Repair, maintenance and replacement for the system most Sarasota homes use to cool and heat.
Spring and fall tune-ups that catch weak parts and clogged drain lines before they cost you a weekend.
Heating, cooling, ductwork and controls from one local team that knows Sarasota homes.
New and replacement systems sized to your house with a load calculation, permitted and anchored to code.
Humidity control, filtration, UV lights and smart thermostats that suit a heat pump.
Heating Questions
Why does my heater smell like burning?
On the first use of the season, it’s usually dust burning off the heat strips, and it fades within half an hour. A smell like hot plastic or wiring, or one that doesn’t go away, needs checking. Turn the system off and call us.
Do I need furnace maintenance in Florida?
Yes, though less than up north. Heat strips and heat pumps should be tested once a year before winter. Gas furnaces need a yearly safety inspection because of the carbon monoxide risk.
Why is my electric bill so high in winter?
Usually the backup heat strips are running more than they should. That happens when a thermostat is set to emergency heat, is wired wrongly, or the heat pump is too weak to keep up. We can check which it is on a heating visit.
Is a heat pump or a furnace better in Sarasota?
A heat pump for almost every home. Our winters are mild enough that a heat pump heats efficiently nearly every day of the year. See our heat pump page for more.
Get your free quote.
Ask online or call. We’ll confirm a time and text you when your technician is on the way.