- Founded in 2005
- Family-Owned & Local
- Honest & Transparent
- Mount Gilead, NC
- Heating & Cooling Specialists
- Residential & Commercial
A cold snap in the Piedmont rarely gives warning. One morning it's 50 degrees, the next it's dropped near 20, and your heat pump is running nonstop without ever warming the house. That's when you find out whether your heating actually works.
Most homes around Mount Gilead run on heat pumps, because our winters are mild and our summers are long. But mild doesn't mean none. When that occasional hard freeze rolls in off the Uwharries, an underperforming system, a failed furnace, or a heat pump stuck on backup strips can leave you cold and run your power bill straight up.
EM Contractors fixes heating. Heat pumps, gas furnaces, oil furnaces, electric furnaces — all makes and models. We're a family-owned crew based right here at 580 Valley View Church Rd. We check the real problem, explain it in plain language, and charge a fair price. No upsell, no scare tactics.
Common Problems We See
- Heat pump runs constantly but the house never warms up
- Furnace blows cold air or won't ignite at all
- System keeps falling back on the auxiliary or emergency heat strips (and the bill jumps)
- Loud banging, rattling, or grinding when the heat kicks on
- Burning or musty smell the first time you run the heat each season
- Thermostat says one temperature, the house feels colder
- Heat works in some rooms, leaves others cold
- Pilot light or burner that won't stay lit on a gas or oil furnace
How EM Contractors Helps
We start by finding out what's actually wrong instead of guessing. A real diagnosis — checking the thermostat, the airflow, the refrigerant charge on a heat pump, the burners and heat exchanger on a furnace, the heat strips, and the electrical connections. Then we tell you what we found and what it'll cost before we touch anything.
Sometimes it's a small fix: a bad capacitor, a clogged filter choking the airflow, a defrost control that's failed, a stuck reversing valve. Sometimes a heat pump is leaning on its backup strips because it's low on refrigerant, which is the kind of thing that quietly doubles a winter power bill. And sometimes an old furnace or system is genuinely worn out, and the honest answer is replacement — we'll tell you that straight, and we'll size the new unit for your home, not oversell you. We service and install gas, oil, electric, and heat pump systems across every major make and model.
Why Choose EM Contractors LLC
EM Contractors is family-owned and has worked HVAC in Montgomery County for decades — owner Eric Mabe learned it from his father, Roger. We're not a franchise passing through. We live and work here, we know how these long humid summers and the occasional hard winter freeze beat on Piedmont heating systems, and we treat your home and your church the way we'd want ours treated. Honest answers, fair prices, quality work above everything else. When you call EM Contractors, you talk to a real local technician who's going to do right by you.
Our Heating Process
- 1
Call or request service
Reach a real local technician, not a call center. Tell us what your heat is doing and we'll get you on the schedule — often same-day or next-day when we can.
- 2
We inspect and diagnose
We test the system end to end: thermostat, airflow, refrigerant or burners, heat strips, and electrical. We find the actual cause before quoting a fix.
- 3
We explain your options honestly
You get the problem in plain language and a fair price up front. If repair makes sense, we repair. If a unit's truly worn out, we say so.
- 4
We do the work right
Repair or installation done by an experienced crew, with the right-sized equipment for your home and our humid Piedmont climate.
- 5
We test and clean up
We confirm the heat is running the way it should, walk you through what we did, and leave your space clean.
Local Tips for Heating
Honest, practical advice from the EM Contractors crew — the same things we'd tell a neighbor.
Run the heat once before the first hard freeze
Most Mount Gilead homes lean on a heat pump and barely touch real heat until a cold snap hits. Turn your system to heat on a cool September or October morning and let it run a few minutes. If you smell burning, hear a new rattle, or rooms stay cold, you've found the problem with weeks to spare instead of at 20 degrees.
Set the thermostat and leave it alone in a cold snap
On a freezing morning, cranking the thermostat up several degrees just kicks on the auxiliary heat strips, and those run your power bill straight up. A heat pump warms a house slowly and steadily. Pick a temperature, leave it, and let the system do its job without jumping to expensive backup heat.
Check your filter every month through heating season
A clogged filter chokes the airflow and is the most common reason heat feels weak or some rooms stay cold. Through our long Piedmont heating stretch, pull the filter once a month and hold it to the light. If you can't see through it, swap it. A two-dollar fix beats a no-heat night.
More Heating Services
Should You Repair or Replace Your AC System?
We'll never push a new system you don't need. Here's the honest framework we use to help you decide.
Repair may be best
- System is under about 10 years old
- The repair is minor and inexpensive
- Energy bills have stayed steady
- Unit has been maintained and uses R-410A
- First or second issue in years of service
Replacement may be best
- System is 12–15+ years old
- Repairs are becoming frequent
- Energy bills keep climbing
- Cooling is uneven or humidity stays high
- A major component (like the compressor) failed
- Unit uses phased-out R-22 refrigerant
Not sure where your system lands? We'll give you an honest evaluation — and we'll tell you to keep what you have when that's the right call.
What Customers Say About Our Heating Service
Real, verified reviews from the Mount Gilead neighbors we've helped.
“They recently came out when we didn't have heat and installed a part on the spot in an older unit. Same-day service. This company has been a blessing to us.”
“I have known the Mabe family for 65 years. Father Roger and son Eric have for 30 years provided to me excellent A/C installation and service. EM Contractors are knowledgeable, prompt and courteous. I highly recommend the company.”
“Excellent service. I called in the afternoon and someone was at my house within an hour. Would definitely recommend!”
Heating Tips From Our Blog
Heating Questions, Answered
Yes. Heat pumps run most homes around Mount Gilead, so they're a big part of what we do — repair, maintenance, and installation. We also service gas, oil, and electric furnaces. All major makes and models.
It can be. Emergency or auxiliary heat is meant for backup during a hard freeze or a defrost cycle. If it's running all the time, something's wrong — often low refrigerant, a failed defrost control, or a stuck reversing valve — and it's likely driving your power bill way up. Worth a check before the bill comes.
We respond fast and do same-day or next-day work when we can. If you've lost heat during a cold snap, call us — we'll get you on the schedule as quickly as possible. We can't promise an exact time, but we don't leave neighbors sitting in the cold.
Once a year, ideally in the fall before you really need the heat. A seasonal tune-up catches worn parts, checks the refrigerant or burners, and keeps the system from leaning on expensive backup heat. For heat pumps that also cool all summer, annual maintenance matters even more.
Depends on age, the cost of the repair, and how it's running. If a unit is under about 10 years old and it's a single minor fix, repair usually makes sense. If it's 12 to 15-plus years old, needs a major repair, or your bills keep climbing, replacement may save you money. We'll give you the honest call, not a sales pitch.
Yes. We handle residential and light-commercial heating — homes, small businesses, and churches around Mount Gilead and the surrounding towns. Local folks have trusted us with all of those for years.
The part and the labor, mostly. A capacitor, igniter, flame sensor, or filter is a small fix. A blower motor, defrost board, or refrigerant leak on a heat pump runs more. Your system type matters too, since gas, oil, electric, and heat pumps each have different parts. We diagnose the real cause first and give you a fair price up front, so you know the number before we touch anything. No surprises on the bill.
A full check, not a quick look. We test the system end to end: thermostat, airflow, the refrigerant charge on a heat pump or the burners and heat exchanger on a furnace, the auxiliary heat strips, and the electrical connections. Then we tell you in plain language what we found and what it costs. If it's a repair, we fix it and confirm the heat runs right before we clean up and go.
Most repairs wrap up in one visit. A common part like an igniter, capacitor, or defrost control is often an hour or two once we have it on the truck. A tougher job, like a refrigerant leak or a blower motor, can take longer or need a part ordered. We'll tell you what to expect before we start so you're not left guessing.
Ready for Heating? Talk to a Local HVAC Contractor
Call EM Contractors LLC for honest heating in Mount Gilead, NC and the surrounding communities.