Heating & cooling
AC & HVAC repair in Union City.
HVAC repair and replacement across 94587, where the 1980s furnace and AC pairs are timing out together.
Union City is one ZIP, 94587, but the equipment in it belongs to a couple of distinct generations. Alvarado and Decoto carry the mid-century stock, and the big tract wave around Union Landing went in through the 1980s. That 80s generation is the story right now: when a furnace and condenser were installed together, they tend to fail within a few seasons of each other, and a lot of Union City systems are crossing that line at the same time.
Mission Hills, up above 880, is the newer and larger side of town. Two-story homes there bring two-story problems: an upstairs that will not cool in summer, returns that were undersized from day one, and thermostat wars between floors. Different housing, different work.
We run out of San Ramon, 25 to 30 minutes down 680, on the same route leg as Fremont and Newark, seven days a week. The diagnostic is $75 and we waive it when you book the repair. Written, itemized quotes before any work starts. EPA Section 608 Universal certified, CSLB #1136642.
When the furnace and the AC quit the same year
The classic Union City call is a condenser that died in August on a house whose furnace barely survived last winter. The tempting move is to replace just the half that failed, and sometimes that is right. But mismatching a new condenser to a 35-year-old furnace and coil usually buys you poor performance now and a second install bill within a few years. We lay out three numbers in writing: the repair, the half replacement, and the full system, and we tell you which one we would pick.
On full replacements the heat pump path deserves a serious look here, since one machine covers both seasons and Union City's Ava Community Energy territory opens rebate programs through Ava, BayREN, and PG&E. We confirm what is actually funding when we write the estimate. See HVAC installation for the process.
Mission Hills and the two-story problem
The newer homes above 880 mostly cool fine downstairs and badly upstairs. Before anyone sells you a bigger condenser, the honest diagnostic looks at airflow: duct sizing, return capacity, and whether the system was ever balanced. Sometimes the fix is dampers and balancing. Sometimes the right answer is a single ductless head in the upstairs hallway or primary bedroom, which costs less than re-ducting and solves the actual complaint.
We install and service Mitsubishi and Daikin ductless equipment, with Daikin factory training and completed Mitsubishi Electric factory courses behind the work.
The repairs we run week to week
Summer brings capacitors, contactors, condenser fan motors, and low refrigerant charges from slow leaks, which is where our EPA Section 608 Universal certification matters, because recovering and charging refrigerant legally is part of the job, not an option. Winter brings igniters, flame sensors, and inducer motors on the furnace side.
On any furnace from the 80s we check the heat exchanger before we hand back the system. If it is cracked, we say so in writing and stop there. That is not a sales tactic, it is the one fault we will not patch around.
Common questions, Union City.
- My AC died but the furnace still works. Do I have to replace both?
Not always, but on 1980s systems the furnace and coil are usually close behind the condenser. We quote the repair, the half replacement, and the full matched system side by side in writing, with our honest recommendation. Replacing halves of an old system twice is the most expensive way to do it.
- The upstairs of my Mission Hills home never cools. Can you fix that?
Usually yes, and usually without bigger equipment. We check duct sizing, return capacity, and balancing first. If the ducts are the limit, a single ductless head upstairs often solves the complaint for less than re-ducting. We diagnose before we quote anything.
- How much is a service call in Union City?
The diagnostic is $75, waived when you book the repair with us. You approve a written, itemized quote before any work starts. We are EPA Section 608 Universal certified and CSLB licensed under #1136642.
Heating & cooling