“Let comfort be your guide,” says Tom Hutchinson of Hutchinson Plumbing Heating Cooling. Air conditioning is all about comfort, so the simplest way to evaluate your system is to ask: Am I comfortable?Air conditioning and HVAC units don’t last forever — 12 years is an average lifespan — and the moment they fail is usually when you need them the most. The good news is that not every system malfunction spells total doom. Many nuisances are so cheap and easy to fix, you’ll kick yourself for not doing them sooner.Possible cause: Often, the most likely culprit is the easiest to remedy: The thermostat isn’t set correctly, or power isn’t reaching the AC unit.The fix: Make sure that the thermostat is set to AC or “cool,” that the temperature setting is correct, and that the battery is fresh. Second, check the circuit breaker: It could simply be a tripped fuse. Cost: FreePossible cause: ”Airflow is paramount to comfort,” notes Hutchinson. If you aren’t comfortable, the problem usually can be traced to issues with airflow.

The fix: Change the filter. (You should do this as part of regular HVAC maintenance anyway.) ruud hvac unitDepending on the quality of the filter, the amount of people living in the house, and if there are pets, the filter should be changed every 30-60 days. air conditioning units 5000 btuOutdoors, make sure there’s at least 24 inches of clearance on the sides and 5 feet on top of the unit. rooftop hvac unit residentialAlso, check to make sure there are no obstructions to the home’s cold air returns and registers.Cost: $5 to $20, depending on the filter.Possible cause: A spike in operating costs typically signals inefficient operation. After a dirty filter (warning sign #2), the most likely culprit is a choked condensing coil. Located within the outdoor unit, the coil has countless cooling fins — much like a car radiator — that can accumulate dust and debris. 

The fix: Call out a pro for a spring tune-up.Cost: $75 to $150Possible cause: Rattling, buzzing, or ticking? The good news is that the cause might be little more than a loose screw. The bad news is that it could be caused by a bum blower motor (indoors) or bent fan blade (outdoors).The fix: If you’re lucky, a simple tightening here and lubricating there will fix the problem. If not, you might require a new fan motor or fan blade.Cost: $75 to $150 for an inspection and tune-up; $150 to $750 for a new blower motor.Possible cause: Improper placement of the thermostat can wreak havoc on one’s comfort. The unit might be in direct sun, too close to a register, or near a hot oven. Also, a remodel might have you spending more time where the thermostat is not.The fix: Relocate the thermostat.Cost: Free if you’re handy (and plan on reusing the same unit); up to $250 for a new programmable unit, plus another $90 for an electrician to install it.Possible cause: During normal operation, the system generates moisture in the form of condensate.

That water collects in a pan and flows out a line either into a floor drain or condensate sump basin. An accumulation of water signals a blockage or disconnection of the tube.The fix: Inspect the tube for crimps, clogs, and disconnections. Also, if the water flows into a sump basin, ensure that the sump pump is in good working order.Cost: Free to clean out blockage; $20 to replace the tube; $40 to $110 for a new condensate sump pump.Possible cause: The refrigerant lines aren’t insulated.The fix: The outdoor unit is connected to the indoor system by two copper refrigerant lines, which should be covered with insulating sleeves. Make sure that they are. Also, the system may need its refrigerant re-charged.Cost: $5 for insulating sleeves; up to $150 for a system re-charge.Possible cause: Burnt-out compressorThe fix: If the compressor fails, the unit won’t run. The only fix for this is a costly replacement of the equipment, which includes various small parts, new Freon, and labor.

Cost: $600 to $1,900. It might be wise to replace your air conditioner if it’s more than eight years old, or if the estimated cost of repair is more than 50% of the cost of a new unit. This is National Brand refrigerant. 17 x 10 x 10 inches #123,431 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen) #2,959 in Home Improvement > Appliances > Large Appliance Accessories > Refrigerator Parts & Accessories HOW CAN YOU SELL THIS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO SCHOOL OR LICENSE TO PURCHES,,,,, Fix your leaks and stop killing the environment!! Will probably buy again as needed. was a good buyCommon Problems and Typical Repair Costs If you've checked to make sure you do not have a blown fuse or a really loose or missing drive belt, then chances are your system is suffering from one of the three following common problems: leaks, compressor failures or contamination. Leaks: The #1 ProblemEst. Repair Cost: $50 to $200A MSN Autos survey of repair shops around the country confirms that system leaks are the number-one auto air conditioning problem faced by consumers.

"Leaks account for roughly 80 percent of the problems we see day in and day out," the manager of a Brookfield, IL, repair shop told MSN Autos. Other shops concurred, reporting that leak repair accounted for 70-80 percent of their air conditioning work. Leaks can occur anywhere in the air conditioning system, wherever refrigerant passes from one component to another.Fortunately, leaks are the easiest and least-expensive A/C problems to fix, with replacement of faulty gaskets or worn hoses as the usual solutions. If you're lucky, leak repair will set you back around $50. But prepare yourself for a figure up to four times that amount. "Leaks usually run between $150 and $200," the service manager of an Irvine, CA, repair shop told MSN Autos-an estimate echoed by many shops we surveyed. Compressor FailureEstimated Repair Cost: $500 to $1,000The compressor is the pump that compresses and circulates the refrigerant through the system, transferring heat from the cabin to the outside environment.

In most systems, the compressor contains a magnetic clutch that engages when you turn on the air conditioning in your vehicle. This clutch can fail, or other compressor components can simply wear out. As the heart of the A/C system, the compressor is costly to fix. Repairs start around $500, but as a service manager at a Phoenix Toyota dealership told us, "Compressor replacement can be spendy, sometimes going over $1,000." System ContaminationEstimated Repair Cost: $300 to $2,000Contamination is another common air conditioning problem. Contamination occurs when an A/C system is serviced using equipment that has been exposed to more than one type of refrigerant. There are two primary refrigerant types: R-12, used in older cars, and the environmentally friendly R-134a, used in all cars built since 1994. The two refrigerants are completely incompatible and any exposure of one to the other during servicing contaminates parts within the A/C system. Decontamination involves flushing and recharging the entire system, as well as replacing any or all of the following components: compressor, condenser, evaporator and dryer.