Heating and Cooling Repair in Beaverton, OR

Quick answer

In Beaverton, the City of Beaverton Building Division sells mechanical permits, and applications go through the city's online permit system. HVAC Repair Guys repairs furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, and ductless systems in Beaverton homes. We find what's wrong, tell you what it takes to fix it, and wait for your okay before any work.

Key facts

County	Washington County
HVAC permits issued by	City of Beaverton Building Division, inside city limits
Electric utility	Check your bill; the Oregon Department of Energy map is a starting point
Contractor license check (Oregon CCB)	CCB license search; the city also checks licensing before it issues a permit
Repair help for income-qualified owners	Mend-A-Home through Unlimited Choices, (503) 234-6167
Smell gas?	Get outside, then call 911 and, if NW Natural is your gas utility, 800-882-3377

Who issues HVAC permits in Beaverton?

The City of Beaverton Building Division does, for homes inside city limits. The division sells building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits, and its operating plan says applications are made online through the city's electronic permitting system.

Beaverton's fee schedule has a mechanical trade permit for detached one- and two-family homes, townhouses, ADUs, and their accessory buildings. It also covers apartment and condo buildings, but only when the work is limited to replacing furnaces, air conditioners, or heat pumps. The schedule lists a furnace, an air conditioner, and a heat pump as separate items, so a full system swap can show more than one line on the permit.

Getting a replacement quote in Beaverton? Ask who will apply for the city permit and who will be on site for the inspection. A clear answer is a good sign.

Is my Beaverton address handled by the city or by Washington County?

It depends on whether the home sits inside Beaverton city limits. Inside the city, Beaverton's Building Division is your office. Your mailing address alone may not tell you, so confirm before anyone applies for a permit.

Washington County Building Services handles unincorporated land. Its FAQ says its answers apply to unincorporated Washington County and sends people with property inside a city to that city's website. The county's housing repair program draws the same line: it serves Washington County homes outside the cities of Beaverton and Hillsboro, because those two cities run their own programs.

Not sure what's wrong yet?

Start with the safe checks. Many problems are a setting, a breaker, or a filter.

Find your symptom Compare repair vs. replace

Repair first: we fix what can be fixed
You approve the price before work starts
Sources listed for outside facts

Which electric company serves my Beaverton home?

Check your electric bill. The company named on it is the one that counts for your address.

The Oregon Department of Energy's Find Your Utility map lets you search by address. The agency warns that its boundaries are approximate and that one address can fall in more than one electric or gas utility's area, so treat the map as a first look.

For incentives, either answer can work. Energy Trust of Oregon lists both PGE and Pacific Power as participating Oregon utilities. If you're replacing equipment, you may qualify for an Energy Trust offer — we'll confirm what fits your home and system.

How do I vet a contractor before hiring in Beaverton?

Look up the contractor's Oregon CCB license yourself, before you sign anything. Beaverton checks too: its Building Division operating plan says the city verifies that applicants meet state licensing, registration, and signature rules before it issues a permit. That check happens at the permit stage, though, which is after you've agreed to the job.

1Get the CCB number from the contractor's ad, website, or business card. Oregon requires it to appear there.
2Type the number into the CCB license search. The CCB calls the number the most accurate way to look someone up.
3Make sure the business name on the license matches the name on your quote.
4Ask which permit the job needs and whether the contractor or you will request the inspection.

Can a Beaverton homeowner get help paying for a critical heating repair?

Possibly, if you own and live in the home and your income is low. Washington County says Beaverton residents inside city limits should call Unlimited Choices, which runs the Mend-A-Home critical repair program in the City of Beaverton.

Mend-A-Home can address mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural systems that show clear signs of deterioration and need urgent repair.
A critical repair means a defect or dangerous condition that threatens your life or safety, or is causing major structural damage.
You must own the home and live in it, and the home must be inside Beaverton city limits.
Household income must be at or below 50% of the HUD area median income. Unlimited Choices also sets an asset limit.
Call Unlimited Choices at (503) 234-6167 to ask whether you qualify.

What should I do if my Beaverton home smells like gas or a CO alarm sounds?

Walk out of the house with everyone in it, right now. Don't try to find the leak or air the place out first.

1Leave light switches, phones, flashlights, lighters, and the car alone while you're near the house. Any of them can make a spark.
2Dial 911 from the sidewalk or a neighbor's place. Get gas from NW Natural? Report the smell to its odor line too: 800-882-3377, answered around the clock.
3If it's a carbon monoxide alarm instead, get everyone into fresh air outdoors and call 911.
4Stay out until responders tell you it's safe to go back in.

The U.S. EPA lists blocked, leaking, or disconnected flues among the ways a furnace can put carbon monoxide into a home. After an alarm, have the heating system checked before you run it again.

Common questions

Does the City of Beaverton or Washington County handle HVAC permits for my house?

It depends on where the home sits. Inside Beaverton city limits, the City of Beaverton Building Division sells the mechanical permit through its online system. For unincorporated addresses, Washington County Building Services is the office.

Does Beaverton's mechanical trade permit cover condos and apartments?

Only in one case. Beaverton's fee schedule says the mechanical trade permit covers multi-family buildings when the work is limited to replacing furnaces, air conditioners, or heat pumps. Other mechanical work in those buildings uses a different permit type.

Is Mend-A-Home open to Beaverton homeowners?

Yes, if you qualify. Unlimited Choices offers Mend-A-Home inside Beaverton city limits to owners who live in the home and earn no more than 50% of the HUD area median income. Call (503) 234-6167 to check.

Is my Beaverton home on PGE or Pacific Power?

Your electric bill is the surest answer. The Oregon Department of Energy's Find Your Utility map can point you in the right direction, but the agency says its boundaries are approximate. Energy Trust of Oregon works with both companies.

Why does Beaverton check a contractor's license before issuing a permit?

The city's Building Division operating plan says it verifies compliance with Oregon licensing and registration laws before issuing permits. That protects you at the permit stage. Run your own CCB search before you sign to catch problems sooner.