AC Repair in Anaheim, CA
Air conditioners here run from June through October. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Orange County will get in touch.
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Five months of heat, every year
Your air conditioner works from June through October in Anaheim, with summer afternoons averaging 82°F. That is five months of steady runtime a year.
All those hours add up on the capacitor that helps the compressor start. When it starts to go, the unit can struggle to kick on during a hot afternoon, or shut off on its own after running a while. You will notice the air coming from the vents is not as cold as it should be, or the outside unit is running but the house is not cooling down.
- 5 months
- June through October, your air conditioner is on duty
- 82°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 3 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 138 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would cut about $70 a year off cooling for a typical Orange County home.
Estimates for a typical Orange County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, California fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when a part like a capacitor or contactor has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the compressor has failed or the system uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer made.
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license belongs to the contractor, not to this particular repair, so it does not have to be reissued for the job. It is what the Contractors State License Board has on record for that contractor as an HVAC license holder in California.
Fixing an air conditioner means opening the refrigerant side of the system, and federal law requires anyone who does that, in any state, to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That certification is separate from the state license. The license says the contractor is authorized to do HVAC work in California. The certification says the technician handling the refrigerant is qualified to do that specific part of the job.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow across the coil, which can cause it to ice up and blow warm air instead. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common cause, and it will not fix itself by adding more, since the leak has to be found and sealed first. If the outdoor unit is dirty or blocked by plants or debris, it cannot release heat properly and the air inside will feel weak or warm. A contractor can check the filter, the coil, and the refrigerant charge to find out which one is happening in your system.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time this means the condensate drain line is clogged, so the water that normally drains outside is backing up and finding another way out. Algae and dust build up inside that line over time, especially after months of steady summer use. A dirty air filter can also cause the coil to ice up, and when it melts, it can produce more water than the drain pan can handle. If the leak is coming from indoors near the air handler, shutting the system off and having the drain line and pan checked will keep the water from causing damage to the floor or ceiling below.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it has power, is set to cool, and the set temperature is below the room temperature. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker for the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler, since a tripped breaker will stop the whole system from starting. Some outdoor units also have a small reset button or a disconnect switch nearby that gets bumped or left off. If power is reaching the unit and it still will not start, a licensed contractor will need to check the capacitor, the contactor, or the control board.