Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and a technician is on call the rest of the time. Emergency work is billed at a premium rate: time-and-a-half on weekday evenings and Saturdays, and double time on Sundays and holidays. We will tell you which rate applies before we dispatch, so there is no surprise on the invoice.

We cover Manhattan and the surrounding Flint Hills communities, including Wamego, St. George, Ogden, Riley, Leonardville, Randolph and Junction City. If you are outside that ring, call us anyway — we will tell you honestly whether we can get to you in a reasonable time or refer you to someone closer.

A standard diagnostic visit during business hours covers the trip and up to the first hour of troubleshooting. Once the technician has identified the fault they will quote the repair before doing the work. You always approve the price before we pick up a tool. Our estimator on this page gives a realistic range for common jobs.

For $119 per year we perform two scheduled visits: a spring air-conditioning service and a fall furnace service. Each visit is a full tune-up, not a quick look — electrical measurements, refrigerant or combustion checks, cleaning, and a written report. Agreement holders also receive priority scheduling during heat waves and cold snaps.

No. Consultations and written estimates on new heating, cooling and water-heating equipment are free. We measure the house, run a load calculation and give you two or three options at different price points, with the efficiency ratings and warranty terms in writing.

In this climate a well-maintained gas furnace typically runs 18 to 25 years, and a central air conditioner 12 to 18 years. Equipment that has never been serviced often falls at the low end of those ranges. Once a system is past its expected life and needs a repair worth more than a third of a replacement, we will lay out the numbers rather than just quote the repair.

We accept cash and personal or business checks. Payment is due on completion of the work unless other terms have been agreed in writing before the job starts. For larger replacement projects we set out a deposit and balance schedule in the proposal.

Yes. Henton Plumbing and Air Conditioning, Inc. is a licensed contractor carrying general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Certificates are available on request, and every technician who comes to your door carries company identification.

For a standard one-inch pleated filter, every 60 to 90 days is a sensible default — monthly if you have pets, allergies or ongoing construction dust. Four- and five-inch media cabinets typically go six to twelve months. The real test is visual: hold the filter up to a light, and if you cannot see light through it, it is overdue.

Most often one of four things: a badly clogged filter or evaporator coil choking airflow, a low refrigerant charge from a leak, a failing compressor or capacitor, or a system that was undersized for the house from the start. Turn the system off and check the filter first — running a system with frozen coils damages the compressor. If the filter is clean and the outdoor unit is not icing, call us before it gets worse.

It can be, but the honest answer depends on your gas supply, venting route and hot-water habits. Tankless units need a larger gas line and a dedicated stainless vent, which is where the installed cost climbs. They pay back best in households with high but intermittent demand. Our water heater comparison works through the numbers.

Gurgling almost always points at venting rather than the drain itself. When a fixture discharges, air must enter the system to replace the water. If the vent is blocked — by a bird’s nest, frost closure at the roof, or a partial blockage further down the stack — the system pulls air through the nearest trap instead, which is what you hear. Left alone it can siphon a trap dry and let sewer gas into the room.

Often yes, but check for a C-wire first. Most Wi-Fi thermostats need continuous 24-volt power, and many older Kansas homes were wired without that conductor. Two-stage, heat pump and dual-fuel systems also need staging and auxiliary-heat lockouts configured correctly, or the thermostat will run expensive backup heat far more than it should. See our smart thermostat guide.

Generally no. Manufacturer warranties on heating and cooling equipment are usually void unless the unit was supplied and installed by a licensed dealer, and we cannot stand behind a unit whose history we do not know. For fixtures — a faucet or a toilet you have chosen — we are happy to install customer-supplied items, with the warranty resting on the product itself.

Shut the main valve first, then open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the pressure. Cut power to anything near the water. Then call us. If you cannot find the main shut-off, now — not at two in the morning — is the time to locate it and label it. Our freeze-proofing guide covers the first ten minutes in detail.

A rough rule: multiply the repair cost by the equipment’s age in years. If the result exceeds the cost of a new system, replacement is usually the better spend. Beyond arithmetic, watch for repeat failures in a single season, a cracked heat exchanger, obsolete refrigerant, or rising bills with no change in habits. We will lay out both figures rather than pushing one.