How Much Does AC Repair Cost?
By the HomeLintel Editorial Team · Reviewed 2026-08-24
Most central AC repairs cost $150–$2,000, with the common calls — capacitors, contactors, fan motors, drain clogs — clustering around $200–$700 including the service visit. The expensive tier (refrigerant leak repair, coils, compressors) starts near $1,500 and overlaps replacement territory on older units.
Expect a diagnostic/service-call fee of $75–$200, typically credited toward the repair. Summer emergency and after-hours calls carry premiums of 1.5–2× — one more argument for shoulder-season maintenance.
Cost by common repair, parts + labor
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor | $150 – $400 | The most common failure; a $20–$50 part plus the visit. |
| Contactor / relay | $150 – $400 | Frequently replaced alongside capacitors. |
| Condensate drain clog / float switch | $100 – $300 | The classic 'AC off, water alarm' call. |
| Condenser or blower fan motor | $350 – $900 | ECM/variable motors sit at the top of the range. |
| Control board | $400 – $900 | Diagnosis matters — boards get blamed for other faults. |
| Refrigerant leak: find + repair + recharge | $800 – $3,000 | R-410A prices keep climbing through the phasedown; evaporator coil leaks often mean coil replacement. |
| Evaporator coil replacement | $1,200 – $2,800 | On units past ~12 years, compare against system replacement. |
| Compressor | $1,800 – $3,500 | Out of warranty, this is usually a replacement verdict. |
The $5,000 rule, and when to stop repairing
Multiply the quoted repair by the system's age in years: over roughly $5,000, the money leans toward replacement. A $400 capacitor on a 12-year-old unit passes easily; a $2,400 coil on the same unit fails the test. Add the refrigerant factor: money spent keeping an R-410A system charged is spent on a refrigerant being phased down — leaks on old units argue for replacement more strongly every year.
What you can check before calling
Five minutes of checks resolves a surprising share of 'AC is dead' calls:
- Thermostat set to cool, batteries alive, schedule not overridden.
- Breakers — both the air handler and the outdoor disconnect.
- Filter — a choked filter can freeze the coil and stop cooling; if the refrigerant lines are iced, thaw fully (system off, fan on) before restarting.
- Condensate float switch — a full drain pan shuts systems down by design; clearing the drain line restores it.
- Outdoor unit — debris against the coil, or a unit not running at all (points electrical) vs running without cooling (points refrigerant).
Maintenance that prevents the big repairs
Annual professional service ($100–$250) plus monthly filter checks prevents the leading causes of major failures: dirty coils overworking compressors, weak capacitors killing motors, and clogged drains flooding air handlers. It's the cheapest insurance in this entire guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an AC service call?
Diagnostic visits run $75–$200, usually credited toward repair work. After-hours and peak-summer emergency calls run 1.5–2× standard rates.
Why is my AC running but not cooling?
Most common: dirty filter or coil, low refrigerant from a leak, or a failed capacitor leaving the compressor idle while fans run. Iced refrigerant lines point to airflow or charge problems — thaw before any restart.
Is it worth fixing a 15 year old air conditioner?
Only for cheap fixes — capacitors, contactors, drain issues. Coils, compressors, or refrigerant work at that age put money into a unit at end of life on a phasing-down refrigerant; replacement wins.
How much does Freon/refrigerant cost for an AC?
R-410A recharge typically runs $300–$800 depending on quantity — but recharge without leak repair is renting cooling, not fixing anything. Leak-find plus repair plus recharge is the honest quote: $800–$3,000.
Related resources
Sources & methodology
- US DOE — Maintaining Your Air Conditioner — maintenance and common faults
- US EPA — HFC Phasedown — refrigerant pricing context
Cost ranges are HomeLintel editorial estimates built from the listed sources and our published assumptions — they are not quotes. Last reviewed 2026-08-24. See how we estimate costs.