Air Conditioning Repair
Tied for the top contractor search in this category, and always on the hottest week of the year.
Cooling failures follow a script. Learn the first page.
Air conditioning repair contractors share the top service slot in our demand data with heating repair, and air conditioning is the second biggest raw search in the category. Failures cluster in heat waves, when every contractor's phone rings at once, so knowing the quick checks buys you either a fix or a better-informed call.
The homeowner checklist catches real problems: thermostat set to cool and below room temperature, breaker for both indoor and outdoor units on, filter not clogged, outdoor condenser running and its coil not caked with cottonwood fluff, and the condensate line not backed up, since float switches shut systems down on purpose when drains clog. A frozen indoor coil, visible ice on the refrigerant line, means shut it off and let it thaw before any tech can diagnose.
At the pro level the usual suspects are capacitors and contactors, condenser fan motors, clogged drains, and refrigerant leaks. Refrigerant is the money conversation: a system low on charge has a leak somewhere, and repeatedly topping it off without finding the leak is renting your cooling by the pound, at prices that climbed sharply as older refrigerants phased out.
Common AC failures and fixes
From cheap electrical parts to the verdicts that retire a condenser.
Capacitors and contactors
The classic hot-day failure: outdoor unit hums or clicks but the fan or compressor will not start. Inexpensive parts, quick visits.
Condensate drain clogs
Float switches kill cooling when the drain backs up, protecting ceilings. Clearing the line is routine; a pan overflow is water damage.
Fan motors and blowers
Outdoor fan or indoor blower failures. Mid-priced repairs that keep the expensive compressor from overheating.
Refrigerant leaks
Low charge means a leak: coils, line sets or valves. Find-and-fix beats top-offs, and old-refrigerant systems make that math brutal.
Frozen coils and airflow
Dirty filters, blocked returns and low charge freeze the indoor coil. Thaw first, then fix the cause, not the symptom.
Compressor verdicts
The heart of the outdoor unit. On older systems a dead compressor usually means replacement math, not repair math.
What does it cost?
Commonly published ballparks put frequent repairs, capacitors, contactors, drain clearing, roughly in the $150 to $500 band with diagnosis, fan motors in the mid hundreds, and refrigerant leak repairs ranging widely with leak location. Compressor replacement commonly runs into the thousands, which is why it triggers replacement quotes.
Age drives the big decisions: with central AC commonly expected to serve 12 to 17 years, four-figure repairs on aging units, especially those using phased-out refrigerant, usually lose to replacement.
Ballparks based on commonly published national averages, stated as assumptions, not measured local pricing. Your competing quotes set the real number for your home and ZIP.
How to hire for air conditioning repair work
Who does the work
A licensed HVAC contractor; refrigerant work legally requires EPA certification, which any legitimate company carries. In peak season, companies you already have a maintenance relationship with answer first, which is the quiet argument for spring tune-ups.
What pros will ask
System age and brand from the outdoor unit label, the symptom (not cooling, not running, ice on lines, water at the air handler), your filter status, and any tripped breakers you have reset. Photos of the data plate help a dispatcher send the right parts.
What to check before signing
Diagnostic fee and its credit toward repair, itemized pricing on refrigerant by the pound, evidence for any leak or compressor verdict, and warranty terms. On replace recommendations for systems under ten years old, get a second opinion.
Related searches homeowners make
Pulled from the same demand data behind our Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning category.
Air Conditioning Repair questions, answered straight
Why is my AC running but not cooling?
Start simple: filter, thermostat mode, and the outdoor unit actually running. If the big fan outside is stopped or the indoor lines are iced, shut the system off; a stuck capacitor or airflow problem is likely, and running it risks the compressor.
How much does AC repair cost?
As a planning ballpark, common electrical and drain repairs land between $150 and $500, motors in the mid hundreds, and refrigerant leak work anywhere from hundreds to thousands depending on where the leak lives. Emergency heat-wave visits carry premiums.
Should I keep topping off refrigerant?
Once, maybe, to confirm the system runs while planning. Repeatedly, no: charge does not get consumed, so a low system leaks. Pay for leak detection and a real repair, or put refill money toward replacement if the unit is old.
Why does my AC trip off and show water near the furnace?
A clogged condensate drain tripped the float switch, exactly as designed. Clearing the line and treating it against algae is a routine fix. If there is no float switch and water reached the ceiling or floor, add one during the repair.
How long should a central AC last?
Commonly cited expectations run 12 to 17 years, longer with annual maintenance and shorter in brutal climates. Past that window, put repair money toward a modern high-efficiency system rather than resuscitating a unit on phased-out refrigerant.
Get quotes for your air conditioning repair project
Free for homeowners. No obligation. Up to four local HVAC pros compete.
Keep planning your systems
More guides from the Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning hub.