Home / Cooling
AC repair and replacement, priced before we start.
Houston ACs run about 3,000 hours a year, roughly twice what a system up north sees. Most breakdowns are small parts worn out by that load. We fix those first and only quote a new system when the numbers say so.
What it's doing
Six symptoms, and what usually causes them.
Before you call, try the check in blue. About one call in ten turns out to be a tripped breaker or a dead thermostat battery, and we'd rather save you the visit.
Blowing warm air
Usually a failed capacitor or contactor in the outdoor unit. Sometimes low refrigerant from a leak.
Check: is the outdoor fan spinning? If not, turn the system off and call.
Ice on the copper lines
Airflow is blocked or refrigerant is low. Running it frozen can kill the compressor.
Check: replace the filter, set the thermostat to Off and the fan to On for 2 hours.
Water around the indoor unit
A clogged condensate drain. Houston humidity puts gallons of water through that line every day.
Check: look for a float switch on the drain pan. If it tripped, the system shuts off to protect the ceiling.
Breaker keeps tripping
A shorted motor, a failing compressor or a loose connection. Don't keep resetting it.
Check: reset once. If it trips again within minutes, leave it off.
Runs all day, never reaches the setting
Dirty outdoor coil, low charge, leaky ducts in a 140° attic, or a system too small for the house.
Check: rinse the outdoor coil gently with a garden hose, never a pressure washer.
Upstairs is 6° warmer than downstairs
Common in two-story Houston homes. Usually ductwork and return air, not the AC itself.
Check: make sure upstairs return grilles aren't blocked by furniture.
On a repair visit
What you get for the diagnostic.
The tech tests the whole system, not just the part that failed, and you get the readings. If the repair price isn't worth it on your system's age, we'll say so before you spend anything.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Electrical | Capacitor microfarad reading, contactor, wiring and disconnect checked. |
| Refrigerant | Superheat and subcooling measured against the manufacturer's chart. No "topping off" without finding the leak. |
| Airflow | Filter, blower, evaporator coil and supply-return temperature split. |
| Drainage | Condensate line flushed, float switch tested. |
| The price | Written, line by line, before any work starts. You can say no. |
Replacement
Sized for your house, not copied off the old label.
A lot of Houston homes have a system one size too big. It cools fast, shuts off before it pulls the humidity out, and the house feels clammy at 74°. We size from a load calculation, then quote three options.
Measure
Manual J load calculation from your square footage, windows, insulation and which way the house faces.
Check the ducts
Static pressure test. A new system on bad ductwork underperforms, so we tell you if they need work.
Three options
Single-stage, two-stage and variable-speed, with the monthly power difference for each. Written, with the load report attached.
One day, cleaned up
Most installs finish in a day. Permit pulled, old unit and refrigerant recovered legally, floors covered.
Questions
Before you book.
Do you charge extra for evenings or weekends?
No after-hours fee. You pay the same diagnostic and repair price whenever we come out.
How fast can you get here in summer?
Most calls get a same-day or next-morning window from June through September. Comfort Club members are scheduled ahead of new calls.
My system uses R-22. Can you still recharge it?
R-22 hasn't been made since 2020, so what's left is expensive. If the system is leaking, we'll show you the repair cost next to a replacement quote and let you decide.
Do you offer financing on a new system?
Yes. Ask for the monthly figure on any of the three options and we'll include it on the written quote.
AC acting up? Send us a text.
A photo of the thermostat or the outdoor unit's label helps us bring the right parts on the first trip.