Heating & Furnace Contractors in Vancouver, WA

Vancouver Heating & Furnace Systems

Located in the southwestern corner of Washington, right on the Oregon border, Vancouver is a smaller city best known as the seat of Clark County and as part of the much larger Portland metropolitan area. Home to some 161,000 residents, as of the 2010 census, Vancouver's proximity to Portland allows more than 1,600 heating and furnace professionals to service the area. Homeowners in Vancouver have a decided advantage over residents of similar-sized cities thanks to the large population of the surrounding area and the many HVAC techs that serve it.

Areas in Vancouver Commonly Serviced

Vancouver, Washington, was first incorporated in 1857, serving as an important port of call on the north bank of the Columbia River. It is directly north of Portland, Oregon, a city of some 619,000 residents. As a result, the smaller Vancouver is often lumped together with Portland in terms of statistics, and the two cities form a service area for many HVAC professionals. These contractors carry the proper certification, licensure, and/or insurance needed to work in both Oregon and Washington.

Local Cost Information for Heating and Furnace Contractors

A HVAC tech, which is short for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, makes an average of $21.46 per hour in the United States. In the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area, the figure is slightly higher at $23.83. Whether installing, repairing, or maintaining heating systems and furnaces, here are some additional comparisons between the cost of hiring Vancouver area techs compared to those across the nation:

• Average Cost to Repair a Furnace
• Nationwide: $267
• Vancouver: $235

• Average Cost to Install a Furnace
• Nationwide: $3,881
• Vancouver: $3,733

• Average Cost to Clean Ducts and Vents
• Nationwide: $334
• Vancouver: $302

• Average Cost to Install a Fireplace or Woodstove
• Nationwide: $1,833
• Vancouver: $1,640

So, despite the higher average hourly wage of Vancouver HVAC techs, the cost to complete common jobs is on par or even slightly below the national average. Homeowners should pay attention to both the hourly cost wage as well as the final cost of any HVAC estimate in order to best compare them between contractors.

Licensing & Insurance Requirements

Washington does not regulate the operations of HVAC technicians except as it pertains to the electrical aspects of their job. However, individual cities and counties create their own licensing requirements. The City of Vancouver does not require a license to do HVAC work within its boundaries, although contractors and/or homeowners must acquire a permit for any installation or new HVAC work, such as adding ducts or heating zones to a building.

Similarly, Vancouver has no insurance requirements for HVAC techs. Many may still carry insurance, however, and homeowners can ask to see proof of this insurance before any work commences.

How Heating and Furnace Systems Affect Home Values in Vancouver

Although the general average temperatures in Vancouver are not as low as other northern areas of the U.S., the city's location on the bank of the Columbia River and its proximity to the Cascade Mountain Range can make for some very volatile winter weather. This includes cold winds from the east, out of the Columbia River Gorge as well as what is known as "silver thaw" storms, which cause freezing rain to coat trees and power lines with ice.

A working heating system in these conditions is critical, which is why homeowners need to take care to service and repair their heating systems on a regular basis. Cleaning is also important as it ensures these systems run efficiently to provide both comfort to the homeowners as well as lower the cost of operating their system. Upgrading home heating systems and furnaces to more energy-efficient models is also a good way to add value to a Vancouver home as it further reduces the cost of running these systems throughout the winter.