AC Repair
in the Capital Region, NY

Check that the thermostat is set to cool, the filter is clean and the breaker has not tripped. If the air is still warm, the usual causes are low refrigerant from a leak, a frozen or dirty evaporator coil, a failed capacitor or fan motor, or a failing compressor. Turn the AC off if the coil is icing over, and call us. Our guide on why an AC is not cooling the house lists the common causes.

Reset it once at most. A breaker that trips again means something is drawing too much current: usually a failing capacitor, a seized fan motor, a compressor on its way out or a wiring fault. Keep resetting it and you can damage the equipment or create a safety problem. Turn the AC off at the thermostat and the outdoor disconnect, and call us with what you saw (when it trips, and whether the outdoor unit hums).

Ice usually means restricted airflow or low refrigerant. Switch the cooling off and run only the fan to melt the coil, then swap a dirty filter. A system that ices over again needs a technician to find the cause. See why an AC freezes up.

The answer depends on the failure. A capacitor, contactor or clogged drain line is a different job from a fan motor, a refrigerant leak or a compressor. Diagnosis comes first, then one flat price that you accept before work begins; we do not bill by the hour, and estimates are free. If a new system is the better buy we say so, and our cooling installation cost guide explains replacement pricing.

The same shortcut gets applied to air conditioners: multiply the unit’s age by the repair estimate, and a product above $5,000 suggests buying new. Treat it as a common industry guideline, not our pricing. It fits a failed compressor on an old system better than a capacitor or contactor on a young one, where repair is almost always the better buy. No formula decides it for us: the diagnosis, one flat price and a straight recommendation come first, and the decision is yours. See AC repair vs replace.

Most of the answer comes from the diagnosis. Clearing a drain line or replacing a capacitor or contactor is often done in the same visit; a fan motor or compressor can need a part order and a return trip. We tell you which it is, with one flat price, before any work begins.

Ask for the total before the technician touches the unit, and ask what exactly failed. A fair repair quote names the part and the work. Watch for a replacement pitch based on a phone description, or a refrigerant top-up offered without a leak check. Our quote is one flat price after diagnosis, never hourly, and it waits for your yes. We hold City of Albany license #PLBG21-147 and New York insurance, and we have been a family-run Capital Region company since 2006.

Yes. During hot stretches, same-day cooling calls get priority Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 6pm. Ring (518) 482-4205 or book online to find out the next available slot.

Common signs include warm or weak airflow, the system short-cycling on and off, ice on the refrigerant lines, water pooling around the indoor unit, loud or grinding noises, and an unexplained jump in your summer electric bill. If your AC is running but can’t keep up on a hot Capital Region day, have it checked before a small problem takes out the compressor.

You can do the safe parts: set the thermostat to cool, replace a dirty filter, clear leaves and debris from around the outdoor unit and check that the breaker and disconnect are on. Anything involving refrigerant, electrical parts such as the capacitor and contactor, or the sealed system needs a technician. Our spring AC maintenance checklist covers the homeowner steps.

Many do both, but check. We repair central air conditioners as well as install them. If the system is past repair, see central AC installation.

Once a year, ideally in spring before the first hot week, is the usual advice. The visit checks the coil, drain, electrical parts and refrigerant, and our spring AC maintenance checklist shows what is covered. The maintenance plan sets that visit up each year.

Yes. Our AC repairs are backed by a workmanship guarantee, and any parts we install carry their manufacturer’s warranty. We’re licensed and insured, and we’ll tell you upfront what’s covered before we start the work. See our guarantee.