When your A/C breaks, life can become challenging no matter what time of year it is. When it breaks in the middle of summer, life becomes more than challenging. It becomes dangerous. The days of using the yellow pages are also almost entirely gone for most people. Online searches are often faster and more productive. The challenge with online searches is literally the amount of options you might come across when looking for the best A/C repair services near you.
Companies serving outside your area might pay to have their listing placed at the top of a Google search, even if you entered your specific zip code in the search window. Some repair services might still be using word-of-mouth patronage than establishing an online presence. Knowing a bit about why your A/C unit breaks can help you zero in on which repair service might be best – and the fastest to respond - for you. But how can you know what to look for? Read on to learn about some common reasons for your A/C to break and how to find the best repair services near you.
7 Common Reasons Your A/C Can Break
Knowing some common reasons your A/C can break not only helps you find the most appropriate repair services near you, it helps you prevent another break in the future. Some issues causing your A/C to break have simple solutions. Conversely, forced air, central A/C units are connected to your water heater, which can make locating the source of the break more complicated. Here are seven common reasons your A/C can break listed in order from most simple to more complex.
- Thermostat is set incorrectly - When your A/C seems to break, start simple and check your thermostat settings first. Chances are this is the problem and it is a quick fix.
- Dead batteries in the thermostat – Most modern thermostats require batteries to stay powered on and working properly. Replace the batteries in your thermostat to see if fresh ones get your A/C up-and-running without further fuss.
- Dirty/Clogged Filter – There are varied references to how often you need to change the filter in your water heater unit. If your unit is connected to your central A/C and is a whole-house water heater, the general consensus is every three to six months. A dirty or clogged filter can cause a lot of damage if left unchanged. It can cause overheating, freezing, leaks, uneven air distribution and more.
- Out of Refrigerant – Refrigerant is what changes warm air to cool when air passes over it on its way to your ducts. Running out of refrigerant will not prevent air from cycling into your rooms - it will unfortunately be warm air instead of cool.
- Tripped Circuit Breaker – Sometimes breakers are tripped. Brownouts, power surges, bad storms, or too many appliances running at once are all things causing breakers to trip into off.
- Float/Float Switch Moves or Breaks – The Float is a device sitting in the drain pan at the bottom of your water heater. It floats on water leaking into the pan due to condensation or temperature changes and more. When the water leakage is beyond normal, the float rises and triggers the Float Switch to shut down your unit. A broken Float or Float Switch may not be something you can repair yourself but you can check to make sure it is in the right place a few times a year.
- Evaporator Coil or Condenser Coil are Covered/Dirty – Your evaporator (inside) and condenser (outside) coils need to be kept clean of dust, mold, debris and any type of buildup causing blockages. A clogged coil can shut down your A/C unit and even cause the coil to need replacing. Make a point to regularly check your coils and gently vacuum or otherwise remove dust and debris. If your coils look covered, full of mold or are a different color than normal, call an A/C repair service to inspect them right away.
What to Expect for A/C Repair Prices
A/C repair prices vary based on job complexity, type of unit being repaired and proprietary company pricing. Replacing a tube, filter or circuit breaker can run as low as $15 (not including labor/time). Replacing an actual air compressor can run into the thousands. The majority of A/C repair prices are reported as ranging between $150 and $550 when needing an actual service call.
National A/C Repair Services
National A/C repair services serve geographical regions in the United States. They also outsource jobs to local repair companies similar to a dispatching or broker service. Having a large network of accessible options can be a huge benefit to you when your A/C breaks and you need it to be repaired right away.
- National HVAC Service was founded in 1991. Currently they serve Delaware, Tennessee, Arkansas and Massachusetts while continuing to pursue expansion into more territories. Their service technicians are trained by Service Logic, which provides cutting edge training and certification programs.
- Total System Services is based in the North West and serves Idaho, Oregon and Washington states. They have been in operation for over thirty years and are a BBB (Better Business Bureau) accredited business. Total System Services also partner with national HVAC service companies to sub-contract jobs across the nation, helping you find quality service in your local area.
- Service Experts is a heating, air conditioning and plumbing service consisting of over 4,000 team members. Service Experts employs technicians who are certified by NATE (North American Technician Excellence), the largest HVACR certification organization in the country. They boast providing the top air conditioning maintenance in the USA.
- Sears Home Services provides HVAC repair services across the nation. Their website displays over 4,000 customer reviews ranking an admirable 4.2 out of 5 possible stars. Sears Home Services is partnered with Lennox systems. While this might appear to limit service availability, Lennox HVAC systems are considered to be the most efficient and most commonly purchased HVAC system in the USA.