AC Repair in Vallejo, CA
Air conditioners here run from June through September. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Solano County will get in touch.
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Four months of real heat, hard on the same parts
Vallejo asks a lot of an air conditioner for a short stretch. June through September, afternoons average 88°F, and the system has to run hard to keep up. That kind of steady load wears on the compressor and the capacitor that helps start it. When one of those starts to go, the unit may run and never quite cool the house, or it may kick off on its own in the middle of the afternoon.
Solano County has also logged 52 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Wind that strong can rattle outdoor units, knock debris into the coil, or throw a fence board against the fan. If your AC is making a new noise or blowing warm air after a windy day, that is worth a look.
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 88°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 1 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 52 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would cut about $60 a year off cooling for a typical Solano County home.
Estimates for a typical Solano 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.
California licenses HVAC contractors through the Contractors State License Board. That license belongs to the contractor, not to the job, so the same license that covers this repair covers the next one too.
For a repair like this, the refrigerant side is the part that matters most. Anyone who opens it, in California or any other state, has to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That comes from federal rule, not the state license, and it applies no matter who shows up to do the work.
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. When air can't move through, the coil can ice up and the air coming out turns weak and warm. Low refrigerant from a leak causes the same thing. If the filter looks clean and the vents are open, a contractor will need to check the refrigerant charge and the coil itself.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time this is a clogged condensate drain line. 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 or dirt build up inside that line over time and block it, so the water backs up and drips inside instead. A cracked drain pan or a dirty air filter causing the coil to freeze and then thaw can also cause the same puddle.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to cool and the temperature is actually below the room temperature, and replace the batteries if the screen is blank or dim. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker for the AC in your electrical panel, since a tripped breaker will shut the whole system down. If the breaker is fine and it still won't start, a contractor will need to check the capacitor and the wiring at the outdoor unit.