AC Repair in Pasco, WA
Air conditioners here run from July through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Franklin County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Two months of hard running in Pasco heat
Your air conditioner in Pasco works hard in a short window. July and August are the only months it runs, and on afternoons averaging 85°F it cycles on and off for hours at a stretch with little rest in between.
That kind of concentrated demand wears on the capacitor and the compressor it starts. When the capacitor weakens, the unit may hum without starting or shut off on its own on the hottest afternoons, right when you need it most.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 85°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 25 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would cut about $30 a year off cooling for a typical Franklin County home.
Estimates for a typical Franklin County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Washington 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.
Washington requires contractors to register with the state.
Registration means the contractor's business is on file with the Department of Labor and Industries. Nobody tested their wiring knowledge or their refrigerant handling to get that number. It tells you the business is registered to operate in Washington, not that it passed a trade exam.
For a repair on your air conditioner, the protection that matters comes from somewhere else. Any technician who opens the refrigerant lines, on this job or any AC job anywhere in the country, has to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That's a federal requirement tied to the person doing the work, not the business registration.
Source: Washington State Legislature
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- Most often the refrigerant charge is low or the airflow across the indoor coil is blocked. A dirty filter can starve the coil of air and cause it to ice over, so warm air is all that comes through the vents until it thaws. Low refrigerant means a leak somewhere in the line, and only a technician with EPA 608 certification can legally open that side of the system to check it. If the filter looks clean and the air is still warm, the problem is likely inside the sealed system and needs a contractor to diagnose.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- This usually means the condensate drain line is clogged or the drain pan has cracked. 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. When the line clogs with algae or debris, the water backs up and spills over the pan instead. A frozen coil that then thaws quickly can also flood the pan faster than it can drain.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat and the breaker before assuming the worst. Check that the thermostat is set to cool and below room temperature, and check that the breaker for the outdoor unit hasn't tripped. If both look fine, the problem could be the capacitor, a failed contactor, or a wiring issue, and those need a licensed contractor to find and fix. With summer afternoons here averaging 85°F, a unit that won't start is worth getting looked at quickly.