AC Repair in Oakland, CA
Air conditioners here run from July through September. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Alameda County will get in touch.
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It takes about a minute.
Three months of heat, then nothing
Air conditioners here only run July through September. The rest of the year the system sits idle, and afternoons in those three months average 82°F, so when the first hot stretch hits, the unit has to start up and hold steady right away.
A capacitor or contactor that weakened over the months of sitting unused often doesn't show it until that first real load hits. That's when a homeowner finds out, on a warm afternoon, whether the system still starts up the way it should.
- 3 months
- July through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 82°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 19 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 166 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would cut about $40 a year off cooling for a typical Alameda County home.
Estimates for a typical Alameda 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 Contractors State License Board tests contractors before it issues a license, and it keeps a record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job. It stands behind every repair that contractor takes on, this one included.
For this repair, the license is what carries the accountability. Because fixing an air conditioner means opening the refrigerant side of the system, the technician also needs EPA Section 608 certification. That is a federal rule, and it applies no matter what state the work is done in. The certification covers the handling of refrigerant. The state license covers the contractor doing the work.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- Usually it means the system can't finish the heat exchange it needs to cool the air. A dirty air filter is the most common cause, since it blocks airflow across the indoor coil until the coil ices over. Low refrigerant from a leak will do the same thing, and so will a failing compressor outside. Check the filter first. If it's clean and the air is still warm, the unit needs a contractor to check refrigerant levels and the compressor.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time the condensate drain line is clogged. Your AC pulls moisture out of the air as it cools, and that water is supposed to run out through a drain line to the outside. Algae and dirt build up in that line over time and block it, so the water backs up and drips inside instead. A cracked drain pan or a frozen coil that's now thawing can also cause it. A contractor can clear the line or replace the pan depending on what's actually blocked.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat and the breaker. If the thermostat screen is blank, check its batteries. If it's on but the system still won't run, check the breaker panel, since a tripped breaker will cut power to the whole unit. Capacitor failure is another common cause and it won't reset on its own. If power and the thermostat both check out, a contractor will need to test the capacitor and the electrical components at the unit.