When to repair
The unit is under about 10 years old and the repair comes in under a third of a new system's price. Capacitors, contactors, fan motors, and drains almost always fall here — a couple hundred dollars against a system worth keeping.
Cost guide · Updated July 2026
How much does AC repair cost?
By the HVAC Service Call editorial team · Part bands single-sourced across our AC pages
AC repair costs $150–$650 on average in 2026, with a typical bill near $350. The diagnostic visit is $75–$200, usually credited toward the repair. Your metro shifts these numbers — a capacitor is a couple hundred dollars; a compressor runs into the thousands.
TYPICAL BILL
~$350, in a $150–$650 range before any after-hours premium.
THE CHEAP FIX
A capacitor is $170–$400 — the common summer repair.
THE EXPENSIVE ONE
A compressor is $1,200–$2,800 — it forces the replace question.
01 · At a glance
The numbers, at a glance
Most AC repairs land between $150 and $650, with a typical bill near $350. The diagnostic visit is $75–$200, usually credited toward the repair.
~$350Typical bill
$150–$650Average range
$75–$200Diagnostic
1.5–2×After-hours
02 · By part
AC repair cost by part
Parts and labour included. Where itemized, labour alone runs $75–$150 an hour. The right-hand column flags whether the part is a straight repair or a run-the-numbers decision on an older unit.
| Part | Installed cost | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor | $170–$400 | Repair |
| Contactor | $150–$400 | Repair |
| Condensate drain clean | $100–$275 | Repair |
| Condensate pump | $250–$450 | Repair |
| Thermostat | $150–$500 | Repair |
| Condenser fan motor | $300–$700 | Repair |
| Circuit board | $200–$600 | Repair |
| Blower motor | $450–$1,800 | Weigh age |
| Refrigerant leak repair | $225–$1,600 | Weigh age |
| Refrigerant recharge | $200–$500 | Fix the leak |
| Evaporator coil | $600–$2,000 | Run the math |
| Compressor | $1,200–$2,800 | Run the math |
03 · By symptom
Cost by what you actually searched
The same symptom can trace to a cheap part or an expensive one — here's the likely cause and the range for each. Each links to the free troubleshooting article.
| Symptom | Range | Likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| Not cooling | $170–$1,600 | Refrigerant or capacitor |
| Won't turn on | $150–$600 | Capacitor, board, or thermostat |
| Leaking water | $100–$450 | Drain line or pump |
| Frozen unit | $150–$1,600 | Airflow or refrigerant |
| Loud noise | $300–$700 | Fan motor or bearings |
| Short-cycling | $150–$600 | Capacitor, board, or sizing |
04 · Where the money goes
Cost by system, and what's in the bill
System type shifts the range, and the bill itself is more than the part — a diagnostic fee, marked-up parts, hourly labour, and any after-hours premium.
| System | Typical repair |
|---|---|
| Central split | $150–$650 |
| Heat pump | $160–$1,400 |
| Mini split | $150–$1,000 |
| Packaged unit | $200–$800 |
| In the bill | Amount |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic fee (often credited) | $75–$200 |
| Parts (25–100% markup over wholesale) | stated plainly |
| Labour | $75–$150/hr |
| After-hours premium | 1.5–2× |
On permits and warranties
Permits ($50–$300) apply only when refrigerant-circuit or electrical work requires them. On warranties, parts are often covered while labour usually isn't — refrigerant beyond the quoted amount, ductwork, and panel faults are not usually included. The fee mechanics are on service-call cost.
05 · When repair stops paying ✓ ✕
The compressor, the coil, and the one-third rule
The two expensive AC parts — the compressor ($1,200–$2,800) and the evaporator coil ($600–$2,000) — both raise the same question: repair, or replace the whole system?
When to replace
The AC is 15-plus years old, or a compressor or coil has failed. Worked example: an $1,800 compressor on a 13-year-old unit, against roughly $7,500 to replace — that's a replace-lean call once you factor remaining life and the refrigerant transition.
Under 10 years, repair; 10–15, run the rule; 15-plus, default to replace.
Don't overpay
Get a second quote on anything over $1,000, and ask for the bill itemised — diagnostic, parts, and labour broken out. The full framework is on repair or replace, and a new-system price on AC installation.
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06 · Questions
Common questions
Why is AC repair so expensive?
The part is one line of the bill. You also pay the diagnostic fee, labor at $75–$150 an hour, refrigerant-handling that's federally regulated, and a warranty-backed part at contractor pricing. Sealed-system work — coils and compressors — is labor-intensive, which is why those repairs climb into the thousands.
How much does it cost to recharge refrigerant?
A recharge runs $200–$500, but recharging without repairing the leak is a subscription, not a fix — the refrigerant will leak back out. Low refrigerant always means a leak, and finding and sealing it ($225–$1,600) is the actual repair.
Is a $400 capacitor quote fair?
It's within the normal range. A capacitor part is cheap, but the quote bundles the diagnostic, labor, and a warranty-backed part — $170–$400 installed is typical. Well above that, get a second opinion.
Does home warranty cover AC repair?
Partially, sometimes. A home warranty may cover the repair minus a per-visit service fee, with coverage caps and maintenance requirements. Read the contract — refrigerant, code upgrades, and pre-existing faults are common exclusions.
Can I repair the AC myself?
Electrical parts like a capacitor are legal to DIY but genuinely hazardous — capacitors hold a charge that can injure you. Refrigerant work is off-limits without EPA-608 certification. Filter changes, drain clearing, and thermostat swaps are the safe DIY jobs.
Do AC repair prices differ by city?
Yes — metro labor rates swing an identical repair up to 40%. Reported state averages run from about $330 in Texas and Florida to $575 in California. Our city pages will carry the local band as they publish.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a 10-year-old AC?
At 10 years you're in the run-the-numbers zone: repair if the cost is under a third of a new system. A $1,800 compressor on a unit worth $7,500 to replace is a close call — factor in the R-410A vs newer-refrigerant transition before deciding.
How much is the diagnostic fee if I don't repair?
You owe the service-call fee only — typically $75–$200 — for the visit and diagnosis. It's credited toward the repair only if you go ahead with the work.
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