Service Questions, Straight Answers
Furnace lights, runs 5 seconds, shuts off, tries again — what is that?
Textbook dirty flame sensor. The burner lights but the sensor can't prove it, so the board drops the gas valve. Pull it, shine it with fine abrasive, re-seat. If cleaning stops holding, replace it — they're cheap. If a new sensor still drops out, then look at grounding and flame rectification.
Is it worth putting a float switch on every install?
Yes, and on every service call where one's missing. It's the cheapest part in the drain aisle versus a ceiling, and inspectors increasingly expect them. Wire it to kill the call for cooling, not just the blower.
Condensate pump cycles constantly or hums without pumping — worth repairing?
At wholesale pump prices, no — replace it. Check the check-valve and discharge line first (a kinked line mimics a dead pump), then swap the unit and wire the safety contacts so the next failure shuts the system down instead of flooding the closet.
Customer says the heat pump is 'smoking' outside in winter — fire?
Defrost steam. The outdoor coil sheds its frost as a dramatic cloud of water vapor for a few minutes and homeowners call it in as smoke every cold snap. Real trouble smells electrical and doesn't stop when the cycle ends. Educate at install and save yourself the panic calls.
Are UV lights in the air handler worth selling?
For coil mold in our humid climate, a coil-mounted UV lamp genuinely keeps the wet coil cleaner and protects capacity. As whole-air purification, claims outrun evidence. Sell it as coil hygiene with an annual lamp change, and it's an honest product.
On the shelf in Asheville — same-day will-call pickup, contractor pricing.