AC Repair in Vancouver, WA
Air conditioners here run from August through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Clark County will get in touch.
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It takes about a minute.
One month of real heat is still enough to find the weak spot
Vancouver only asks for cooling in August, and even then afternoons average 77°F. That is not the kind of heat that runs an air conditioner into the ground the way it does further south. But a unit that sits idle most of the year still has to start up cold and work when that one stretch of warm weather arrives, and that first hard run is when a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge shows itself.
If your air conditioner is struggling, it is more likely something that was already wearing thin than damage from the weather itself. It just took the one month a year the unit actually has to work to make itself known.
- 1 months
- August through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 77°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 2 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would save little on running costs in Clark County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Clark 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.
That registration puts the business on file with the state and requires a bond, but nobody tests the contractor's trade knowledge to get it. It is a record of who is operating, not a check on how well they work.
For an air conditioner repair, the thing that actually governs the work is federal. Any technician who opens the refrigerant lines to recover, recharge, or test the sealed system has to hold EPA Section 608 certification, and that rule applies the same way in Washington as it does everywhere else in the country.
Source: Washington State Legislature
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common reason is low refrigerant from a leak somewhere in the coil or line set. A dirty air filter can also cause this, since it blocks airflow across the evaporator coil until it ices over and stops cooling. Sometimes the outdoor unit itself has failed, either the compressor or the fan that pulls air through the condenser coil. A contractor who is EPA 608 certified will need to check refrigerant charge and pressures, since that part of the system is federally regulated.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time this is a clogged condensate drain line, where algae or dirt has built up and blocked the water that the coil pulls out of the air. It can also mean the drain pan has rusted through or cracked. A frozen evaporator coil will leak too, once it thaws and sends more water than the drain line was built to handle at once. Shut the system off if you see water pooling, since running it longer can mean water reaching the drywall or floor underneath.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it has power, is set to cool, and the set temperature is below the room temperature. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker for the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler, since a tripped breaker on either one will keep the whole system from starting. Some outdoor units also have a small reset button or a safety switch near the indoor unit that shuts the system down when the condensate pan fills. If none of that gets it running, the problem is likely inside the unit itself and worth having a contractor look at.