Few things are more frustrating than an HVAC system that’s clearly running, you can hear it, you can feel air moving, but the house just won’t get comfortable. In the dead of a Spokane summer or the bottom of a January cold snap, “not cooling” and “not heating” go from annoying to urgent fast.

The good news: sometimes the fix is simple and cheap. The not-so-good news: sometimes it’s the sign of a system that’s quietly failing. Here’s how to tell the difference.

The Most Common Reasons Your System Isn’t Heating or Cooling

1. A tripped breaker or a thermostat issue

Before anything else: check your breaker panel and your thermostat. A tripped breaker, dead thermostat batteries, or a unit accidentally switched to “fan only” account for a surprising number of “my system is broken” calls. These cost you nothing to check and are always worth ruling out first.

2. A clogged air filter

A filter packed with dust and pet hair chokes off airflow. Your system runs and runs but can’t move enough air to actually change the temperature in your home. A $20 filter swap can sometimes solve the whole problem, and neglecting it is one of the leading causes of bigger, more expensive failures down the road. Staying ahead of it is exactly what routine AC maintenance is for.

3. A failed capacitor or contactor

These are the small electrical components that tell your system’s motors and compressor to start and run. When they fail, and they’re among the most common HVAC failures, your system may hum, click, or do nothing at all. This is a genuine repair, but usually an affordable one on a healthy system.

4. Low refrigerant from a leak

If your AC is blowing warm air, low refrigerant is a prime suspect. Here’s the part homeowners don’t always realize: refrigerant doesn’t “run out” like gas in a car. If it’s low, you have a leak. Simply “topping it off” without finding the leak is throwing money away, and on older systems using phased-out refrigerants, that money adds up fast.

5. A failing compressor or heat exchanger

This is the one nobody wants to hear. The compressor (for cooling) and the heat exchanger (for heating) are the heart of your system. When they fail, the repair cost often climbs into territory where it simply doesn’t make financial sense to fix an older unit.

What Does It Cost to Fix?

For most no-heat / no-cool issues, repairs in the Spokane area generally range from $150 on the low end to $650 or more on the high end, depending on the cause. A filter or thermostat fix sits at the bottom of that range. A capacitor or contactor is modest. But once you’re into refrigerant leaks, compressors, or heat exchangers, the numbers climb quickly, and that’s where the real decision starts.

The Repair-vs-Replace Reality Check

Here’s the honest truth a lot of homeowners aren’t told: not every breakdown is worth repairing.

If your system is under 8 years old and well maintained, repair is almost always the right call. But if your unit is 10 to 15+ years old and you’re staring down a major component failure, you’re often spending hundreds, sometimes over a thousand, dollars to patch a system that’s near the end of its life anyway. Worse, you could repair one part today and face another failure next season.

A few signs replacement deserves a serious look:

• Your system is 10+ years old and needs a major repair (compressor, heat exchanger, coil)
• It still uses R-22 refrigerant, which has been phased out and is expensive to source
• You’ve had multiple repairs in the last couple of years
• Your energy bills keep climbing even though nothing in your home has changed

A modern, properly sized high-efficiency system doesn’t just fix the immediate problem, it can meaningfully cut your monthly energy costs, run quieter, and keep your home more evenly comfortable. Sometimes the “expensive” option is actually the one that saves you money.

Why This Usually Isn’t a DIY Fix

We’re all for changing your own filter. But beyond that, modern HVAC systems are complex, and the work involves high-voltage electrical components, pressurized refrigerant (which is regulated by the EPA and requires certification to handle), and precise diagnostics. A wrong guess doesn’t just risk your safety, it can turn a small repair into a destroyed compressor. This is one of those areas where a proper diagnosis from a licensed tech pays for itself.

The Bottom Line

If your AC or furnace is running but your home won’t get comfortable, don’t just live with it, and don’t assume the worst either. The smart move is a proper diagnosis so you know exactly what you’re dealing with and whether a repair or a replacement makes more financial sense for your situation.

Bearcat Heating & Cooling serves homeowners across Spokane and Spokane Valley. We’ll find the real cause, give you straight answers, and help you make the call that’s right for your home, not our invoice. Schedule your diagnostic today, or call (509) 891-5110.