AC Repair

AC Repair

It's 94°F Outside and Your AC Just Stopped Working

You noticed something was wrong around noon. The house felt warmer than usual. You checked the thermostat—set to 72°F, reading 78°F and climbing. The vents are blowing air, but it's not cold. Or maybe nothing's coming out at all.

This isn't a minor inconvenience. It's a problem that gets worse by the hour. Every degree your house rises above 80°F puts stress on electronics, makes sleep impossible, and can be dangerous for elderly family members, infants, or anyone with health conditions.

You need someone who can diagnose the actual problem—not guess at it—and fix it today.

The 7 Most Common AC Failures (And What Causes Them)

1. Capacitor Failure

What you notice: The outdoor unit hums but the fan doesn't spin. Or nothing happens at all when the thermostat calls for cooling.

What's happening: Capacitors are small cylinders that store electrical charge to help start the compressor and fan motors. They fail gradually over 5-10 years, then completely. Heat accelerates the failure—which is why they often die on the hottest day of the year.

The fix: Replace the capacitor. Takes 15-30 minutes.

How common: Capacitors cause roughly 30% of all AC service calls.

2. Refrigerant Leak

What you notice: The AC runs but doesn't cool well. Ice forms on the refrigerant lines or evaporator coil. Over days or weeks, cooling gradually gets worse.

What's happening: Refrigerant doesn't "get used up." If your system is low, it's leaking somewhere. Common leak points are brazed joints in the copper lines, the evaporator coil itself, or the service valves on the outdoor unit.

The fix: Find the leak, repair it, and recharge the system. Finding the leak is the hard part—it might take 30 minutes with an electronic detector, or 3 hours if the leak is inside the evaporator coil where you can't see it.

3. Frozen Evaporator Coil

What you notice: Warm air from vents. If you look at the indoor unit, the coil is covered in ice. Water may be dripping or pooling around the furnace.

What's happening: Ice forms when the coil gets too cold—either from low refrigerant, restricted airflow, or a failing blower motor. The ice blocks airflow, making the problem worse until the coil is completely frozen solid.

The fix: Turn off the AC and run only the fan to melt the ice (takes 2-4 hours). Then diagnose the root cause—dirty filter, blocked return duct, low refrigerant, or blower motor issue.

4. Contactor Failure

What you notice: The outdoor unit doesn't turn on at all. You can hear a click from inside the unit when the thermostat calls for cooling, but nothing runs.

What's happening: The contactor is an electrical switch that turns the compressor and fan on and off. The contacts inside it arc every time they connect, slowly burning away the metal until they can't make good contact anymore.

The fix: Replace the contactor. 20-minute repair.

5. Compressor Failure

What you notice: Outdoor fan runs, but the compressor (the large, black, round component) doesn't. Or the compressor tries to start and trips the circuit breaker.

What's happening: The compressor is the heart of the system. It pumps refrigerant. When it fails—from age, electrical issues, refrigerant flood-back, or overheating—the entire system stops cooling.

The fix: Replace the compressor or replace the entire outdoor unit. For systems over 10 years old, full replacement usually makes more economic sense.

This is the repair everyone dreads. Unfortunately, compressors do eventually fail.

6. Clogged Drain Line

What you notice: AC works, but water is dripping inside your house. You might see water damage on ceilings below the unit, or water pooling around the indoor equipment.

What's happening: Air conditioning removes humidity from your home. That moisture condenses on the evaporator coil and drips into a pan, then flows out through a drain line. When the line clogs with algae, mold, or debris, water backs up and overflows.

The fix: Clear the drain line with compressed air, nitrogen, or a wet/dry vacuum. Install a drain line treatment tablet to prevent future clogs. 30-45 minute repair.

7. Thermostat Issues

What you notice: AC won't turn on, or runs constantly, or cycles on and off rapidly. Display may be blank or showing error codes.

What's happening: Could be dead batteries (in battery-powered models), loose wiring connections, a failed temperature sensor, or a programming error. Smart thermostats occasionally need firmware updates or have WiFi connectivity issues that affect operation.

The fix: Check batteries first. Then verify wiring. Replace thermostat if it's failed internally.

Our Diagnostic Process

When we arrive, we don't just look at the outdoor unit and guess. Here's the actual process:

• Check the thermostat. Is it calling for cooling? What's the temperature differential between setpoint and actual?
• Check the air filter. A filter so dirty it restricts airflow causes a cascade of problems.
• Check the indoor unit. Is the blower running? What's the supply air temperature? Any ice on the coil? Is the drain pan clear?
• Check the outdoor unit. Is power reaching it? Are the capacitors good? Is the contactor engaging? Is the compressor drawing correct amperage? What are the refrigerant pressures?

Refrigerant pressure readings tell us more than any other measurement. High head pressure suggests condenser airflow problems or overcharge. Low suction pressure suggests low charge or restricted airflow. The combination of pressures narrows diagnosis to specific problems.

Most repairs don't require guessing. The measurements point to the problem.

When We Recommend Replacement Instead of Repair

Not every AC should be repaired. Here's our decision framework:

• If the repair costs more than 50% of replacement value AND the system is over 10 years old, replacement usually makes more sense.
• If the compressor has failed AND the system uses R-22 refrigerant (phased out in 2020), replacement is almost always the right call.
• If this is the third major repair in 3 years, the system is telling you it's dying.

We won't push you toward replacement to make a bigger sale. We will give you an honest assessment of the economics.

Response Time

Normal business hours (8 AM - 5 PM, Monday-Friday): Same-day service for calls received by noon. Next-morning service for afternoon calls.

After hours and weekends: We offer emergency service. Most emergency calls are answered within 2-4 hours during peak season.

Peak season warning: In July and August, wait times increase. If your AC is struggling but still working, don't wait until it dies completely. A system limping along at 80% capacity can often be repaired the same day. A system that died on Saturday night along with 47 other systems in your zip code might be waiting until Tuesday.

What to Do While You Wait

If your AC is running but not cooling:

• Check the air filter. If it looks like a wool sweater, replace it. This alone fixes roughly 15% of "AC not cooling" calls.
• Check the outdoor unit. Is it running? Is anything blocking airflow around it? Is the fan spinning?
• Check the thermostat. Make sure it's set to "cool" and the fan is set to "auto." Try lowering the setpoint 5 degrees to see if the system responds.
• If you see ice on any part of the system, turn the AC off but leave the fan running. Let the ice melt before we arrive—trying to run a frozen system causes additional damage.
• Close blinds on sun-facing windows. Run ceiling fans. Avoid using the oven or other heat-generating appliances.

Call now. The longer you wait, the hotter it gets.