AC Repair in Santa Rosa, CA
If your air conditioner quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Sonoma County will get in touch.
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Santa Rosa doesn't ask much of your air conditioner
Summer afternoons here average 79°F, mild enough that a lot of homes get by without much cooling at all. That's easy duty for a system, and it means a unit here can run for years without the strain that wears one down faster in hotter places.
When something does go wrong, it's more likely storm damage than heat fatigue. Sonoma County has seen 120 damaging wind events and 20 hail events over the past ten years. Wind can knock debris into the outdoor unit or rattle loose a connection. Hail here has stayed small, up to a quarter inch, but even small hail can dent the thin fins on a condenser coil enough to block airflow. If your system is blowing warm air or cycling strangely after a storm, that's where to look first.
- 79°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 20 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 120 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would save little on running costs in Sonoma County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Sonoma 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 comes from the Contractors State License Board, and the board tested the contractor and keeps a record of them. It belongs to the contractor, not to any one job, so it does not certify the repair on your air conditioner itself, just the person or company doing it.
For this job specifically, the license is what stands behind the work, but refrigerant is its own matter. Federal law requires anyone who opens the refrigerant side of your air conditioner to hold EPA Section 608 certification, and that applies here the same as anywhere else in the country.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common reason is low refrigerant from a leak somewhere in the line set or coil. A dirty air filter can also choke off airflow across the coil until it freezes up and stops cooling. Sometimes the problem is electrical, like a failing capacitor that won't let the compressor run at full strength. A contractor can check refrigerant charge and airflow to find which one it is.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time this is a clogged condensate drain line, and algae or dust builds up in that line and blocks it. Water backs up and drips out wherever it can, often near the indoor unit. A dirty filter can cause this too, since it lets the coil ice over and then drip as it thaws. Clearing the drain line usually solves it, but a contractor should check the coil if it keeps happening.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat and the breaker, since a dead battery or a tripped breaker are the two most common causes. If both check out, the problem may be a failed capacitor or a bad contactor, parts that let the compressor and fan start up. Santa Rosa has seen its share of damaging wind events over the years, and a power surge from one can trip a breaker or damage electrical parts inside the unit. A licensed contractor can test the electrical components to find the actual fault.