AC Repair FAQ — Tallahassee, FL

The cost depends on what failed. A capacitor is a small inexpensive part. A refrigerant leak requires finding the leak, fixing it, and recharging the system — that is more work. A failed compressor is a major repair, and on an older unit it may cost more than the system is worth. There is no one number that fits all jobs. Call for a free estimate.

Most common repairs — capacitor, contactor, thermostat — take an hour or two once we have the part. Refrigerant work takes longer because we have to find the leak before recharging. If a part has to be ordered, that adds a day or more depending on availability. We will give you a realistic time frame when we diagnose the system.

A frozen coil is almost always caused by one of two things: low refrigerant or restricted airflow. Low refrigerant means there is a leak somewhere in the system. Restricted airflow usually means a dirty filter or a blocked return vent. Tallahassee summers pull a lot of humidity through the system, and a dirty coil ices over fast. Turn the unit off and let it thaw, then call us before running it again.

If the system is under 10 years old and the repair is straightforward, fixing it usually makes sense. Once a system hits 15 years or more — which covers a lot of the units in neighborhoods like Killearn Estates built in the 1980s — and needs an expensive repair, replacement often costs less over the next few years. We will tell you honestly which way the numbers point.

Small repairs like replacing a capacitor or thermostat do not require a permit. A full system replacement does require a permit through the City of Tallahassee or Leon County Building Department depending on your address. Any contractor doing a full swap should pull that permit. If they tell you it is not required for a full replacement, that is a red flag.

Close the blinds on the south and west sides of the house — that alone makes a real difference. Move to the lowest floor if you have one, since heat rises. Turn off lights and appliances that put out heat. If temperatures inside are climbing past 90 degrees and you have elderly family members or young children at home, consider moving to a cooled space until the repair is done. Call (850) 907-7205 to get on the schedule.