Electric heat strip repair for New Orleans air handlers
Many homes here heat with electric strips inside the air handler, or use them as backup for a heat pump. They sit idle for months, then get asked to work hard on the first cold morning.
Answered 24/7Mid-City service officeSlidell head officeEvery major brand
Electric heat strips are coils inside the air handler that heat the air when you call for heat, either as the main heat or as backup for a heat pump. When the house stays cold or the breaker trips, the cause is usually a burned-out element, a failed sequencer or relay, or a tripped limit switch, and most are repaired in one visit.
Signs your heat strips need repair
- Cold air on the heat setting
- Breaker trips when heat comes on
- Strong burning smell that lingers
- Heat comes on in some stages only
- Very high winter electric bill
- Clicking but no warm air
- House cannot keep up on cold mornings
How heat strips fail
Updated September 2026
Heat strips are simple: electricity runs through resistance coils and the blower carries the heat into the house. But they draw a lot of power, sit unused for most of the year, and are switched on and off by relays and limit switches that wear out.
Because the strips live in the air handler, a dirty filter or weak blower also affects them, overheating the elements until a safety limit trips. A full check looks at airflow as well as the electrical parts.
How a heat strip repair runs
- 1
Confirm the symptom
No heat, weak heat or tripping.
- 2
Make it safe
Power off at the disconnect.
- 3
Test each stage
Elements, limits and sequencers.
- 4
Check airflow
Filter, blower and ducts.
- 5
Repair
Failed parts replaced.
- 6
Run it
Heat confirmed at the registers.
Element and Limit Switch Repair
An element can break or burn through after years of heating and cooling cycles, and a high-limit switch can trip or fail open when airflow is poor. We measure the resistance of each element, test the limit switches and thermal fuses, and look for scorched wiring or loose connections in the heater compartment. Failed elements and limits are replaced with matching parts. If an element burned out because airflow was too low, we find and fix the airflow problem too, or the new element will fail the same way.
Sequencer, Relay and Breaker Problems
Sequencers and relays switch the strips on in stages so the house's electrical system is not hit all at once. When they stick open, the strips never heat; when they stick closed, the strips can run constantly and drive up the bill. We test each stage, replace failed sequencers or relays, and check the breaker or fused disconnect that feeds the heater. A breaker that trips every time the heat comes on points to a shorted element, a failing breaker or undersized wiring, and we find out which.
Heat Pump Backup Heat
On a heat pump system, the strips provide backup heat on the coldest mornings and during defrost. If they fail, you may only notice when a cold front arrives and the house cannot keep up, or when cold air blows during defrost. If they come on too often, your bill climbs. We check that the backup heat stages correctly with the thermostat and outdoor unit, confirm the thermostat is set up for the heat pump, and explain how emergency heat mode works so it is not left on by accident.
The first cold morning of the year
Winters here are short, but cold fronts bring mornings near freezing, and they tend to arrive suddenly. That is when heat strips that have not run since last winter are switched on all at once across the city. We see a rush of no-heat calls on the first cold morning of the season, and many are strips, sequencers or breakers that were already failing.
Heat strips, heat pump and gas heat
How the three heat sources compare in a mild winter.
| Heat source | Running cost | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Electric heat strips alone | Highest | Small homes or very little heating |
| Heat pump with strip backup | Lower | Most homes in a mild climate |
| Gas furnace | Moderate | Homes that already have gas |
What affects the cost of heat strip repair
Heat strip repairs are priced on the part that failed.
Failed part
Element, limit, sequencer or relay.
Number of stages
Larger heaters have more parts.
Breaker or disconnect
Replacement if it has failed.
Wiring
Scorched or loose wiring repaired.
Airflow fixes
Filter, blower or duct problems behind the failure.
Thermostat setup
Heat pump backup staging.
Questions about Electric Heat Strip Repair in New Orleans
Often a failed heat strip, sequencer or breaker, or a heat pump in defrost without working backup heat.
A shorted element, a failing breaker or a wiring problem. Each needs testing.
They use a lot of electricity, which is why heat pumps use them only as backup.
It runs only the heat strips, bypassing the heat pump. It is meant for short use.
A brief dusty smell is normal; a strong or lasting burning smell is not.
Most repairs are done in one visit when the part is in stock.
Yes. A heating tune-up tests them before the first cold front.
Yes, usually one or more dedicated breakers.
More heating we handle in New Orleans
Furnace Installation & Replacement
Gas furnace replacement, 80% vs 96% afue and more.
Our furnace installation & replacement serviceGas Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion
Removing the gas furnace, electrical panel capacity and more.
Gas Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion in New OrleansNo heat on a cold morning?
Call any hour. We will test the strips, sequencers and breaker and get the heat back on.
Browse every service