Aircon Servicing & Repair in California

A unit that trips the breaker at startup usually has a failing compressor, a shorted capacitor, or a wiring fault — all electrical faults that need a technician. Do not keep resetting the breaker; repeated tripping can damage the compressor beyond repair.

A standard service covers cleaning or replacing filters, cleaning the evaporator coil and blower, flushing the drainage tray and pipe, checking refrigerant pressure, testing thermostat and controls, and inspecting electrical connections. It does not include repairs, parts, or refrigerant top-ups — those are quoted separately.

Check the simple things first: thermostat mode and setpoint, dirty filters, and blocked outdoor unit airflow. If those are fine, the usual culprits are low refrigerant from a leak, a failed capacitor or fan motor, or a dirty coil. Low refrigerant always means a leak — a technician should find and fix the leak, not just top up the gas.

A musty smell means mould or bacteria on the evaporator coil or in the drain pan — fixed with a chemical wash. A burning smell can be dust on a heater element or a failing motor and is worth an inspection. A vinegar-like or chemical smell can indicate a refrigerant leak; turn the unit off and call a technician.

Refrigerant does not get used up — if the level is low, there is a leak. A proper job is leak detection, repair, then regas, which costs several times a plain top-up but stops the problem recurring. Be wary of any technician who suggests routine annual top-ups.

R-22 (Freon) production and import ended in the US in 2020, so systems that use it rely on reclaimed refrigerant at high per-pound prices. If your pre-2010 system has an R-22 leak, a repair plus regas can cost a large fraction of a new R-410A or R-454B system — get a replacement quote for comparison.

Yes — the federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) covers 30% of the cost of qualifying high-efficiency heat pumps and central AC up to annual caps, and many utilities add their own rebates. Ask the contractor for equipment that meets the qualifying CEE efficiency tiers.