AC Repair FAQ — Tempe, AZ

It depends on what broke. Replacing a capacitor is one of the simpler repairs. A refrigerant leak or a failed compressor takes more time and more expensive parts. Units built in the 1990s sometimes need hard-to-find parts, which adds to the cost. Call for a free estimate.

Summer is the busiest time for AC calls across the East Valley. Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler all get slammed with calls when temperatures hit 110 degrees or above. Call (928) 564-6468 as early in the day as possible. Waiting until late afternoon means longer waits.

A few things cause this. Low refrigerant means the system can't pull heat out of the air. A dirty evaporator coil does the same thing. In older Tempe homes with original ductwork, leaky ducts dump cooled air into the attic before it ever reaches the rooms. We check all of it.

Turn the thermostat to OFF so the blower stops running and you don't make things worse. Check the circuit breaker for the AC — sometimes a tripped breaker is the whole problem. If the breaker is fine and the unit won't start, call (928) 564-6468. Don't run a broken unit hoping it fixes itself.

Most central AC units last 12 to 15 years under normal use. In Tempe, where units run hard for six or seven months a year, the high end of that range is less common. Units in older neighborhoods like South Tempe that have run through 20 summers are usually living on borrowed time.

Simple repairs like replacing a capacitor or recharging refrigerant don't need a permit. Installing a new system or making significant changes to the electrical connections usually does. Maricopa County and the City of Tempe both require permits for full system replacements. Any contractor who skips the permit on a replacement job is cutting a corner that could cost you at resale.