AC Repair in Leland, NC
Air conditioners here run from May through September. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Brunswick County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Five months of heat, every year, on your air conditioner
From May through September your air conditioner is working most days, and Leland afternoons in summer average 88°F. That kind of steady load wears on the compressor and the fan motor, the two parts doing the most work when the system runs long hours day after day.
The storms here add to it. Ten years of records show 27 damaging wind events and 22 hail events in the area, and wind that strong can bend or knock loose the fins and coil sitting outside in the open. When that happens you notice the air isn't as cold, or the outdoor unit is running but not keeping up.
- 5 months
- May through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 88°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 22 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 27 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would cut about $60 a year off cooling for a typical Brunswick County home.
Estimates for a typical Brunswick County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, North Carolina 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.
North Carolina requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The state board tests contractors before they're licensed, and it keeps a record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single repair, so the same license that qualifies them for this job covers whatever other HVAC work they take on across the state.
Your air conditioner has a sealed refrigerant side, and touching it is federal territory. Anyone who opens that side of the system, to check the charge or fix a leak, needs EPA Section 608 certification, no matter what state they work in. On a repair like this, the North Carolina license says the contractor is qualified to do the job, and the federal certification says they're qualified to handle the refrigerant inside it.
Sources: North Carolina General Assembly · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common reason is a dirty filter or a coil blocked with ice. When air can't move through the system, the coil gets too cold and freezes over, and warm air ends up going out the vents instead of cold. It can also mean the system is low on refrigerant, which points to a leak somewhere in the lines. A contractor holding EPA 608 certification has to be the one to check refrigerant, since that means opening the sealed side of the system.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Water around your unit usually means the condensate drain line is clogged. 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 dirt, the water backs up and drips into the house instead, often near the indoor unit. A frozen coil that's thawing out can cause the same kind of puddle.
- 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 has power, then check whether the breaker for the AC has tripped. If those are fine, the problem is likely in the electrical components inside the unit itself, like a capacitor or contactor, and that calls for a licensed contractor to diagnose. With summer highs here averaging 88°F, a system that won't start is worth getting looked at quickly.