How much does AC repair cost on average?
The average AC repair costs about $350, and most homeowners pay between $150 and $650 for a typical job in 2026. That range covers the common failures: a bad capacitor, a worn contactor, a seized fan motor, a clogged drain, or a flaky thermostat. Add the $75 to $200 service-call fee that nearly every company charges to come out and diagnose; reputable shops apply it toward the repair if you hire them.
Major repairs are a different tier. Replacing a compressor, an evaporator coil, or a leaking refrigerant circuit runs $1,000 to $2,800, which is where the repair-or-replace question gets real. What you pay also depends on your local labor rate, whether the part is still under warranty, and whether you call during a July heat wave or schedule the work in the off-season.
What do the most common AC repairs cost?
The most common AC repair is a failed run capacitor, and it is one of the cheapest at $130 to $400 installed. Capacitors are a wear part that die from heat and age, and a dead one is the usual reason the fan or compressor will not start. The fix is quick for a tech, but the part stores a dangerous charge even with the power off, so it is not a casual job; see how to change an AC capacitor for what is involved.
Here is what the other frequent repairs run installed in 2026: a contactor (the relay that powers the outdoor unit) is $150 to $400; a condenser or blower fan motor is $300 to $900 depending on type; a thermostat is $100 to $500; a clogged condensate drain or float switch is $75 to $250, and a full condensate pump is $100 to $350; a control board is $200 to $600; and an expansion valve (TXV) is $200 to $650. If the outdoor fan will not spin, the cause is usually the capacitor or the motor, and diagnosing the AC fan motor tells you which.
What is the most expensive AC repair?
The compressor is the most expensive AC repair, at $1,200 to $2,800 when it is out of warranty. The compressor is the heart of the system, and a failed one on a unit past about 10 years old almost always pushes the math toward full replacement. If the part is still under the manufacturer's parts warranty, you pay labor only, roughly $600 to $1,200, which can make the repair worth it on a newer unit.
Coils are the next tier. A new evaporator coil runs $650 to $2,000 installed and a condenser coil runs $900 to $2,800, because both are labor-heavy and require recovering and recharging the refrigerant. A refrigerant leak that needs detection and a soldered repair lands at $200 to $1,500 or more depending on where the leak is. When two big-ticket parts fail at once on an aging system, replacement usually costs less over the next five years than chasing repairs.
How much does it cost to fix an AC that is low on refrigerant?
Recharging refrigerant runs $250 to $750 or more, but low charge is a symptom, not the disease: a sealed AC does not use refrigerant, so if it is low, you have a leak. Simply topping it off is a temporary fix that leaks back out, and it is also a regulated job. Under EPA Section 608, buying and handling most refrigerants requires certification, so this is not a legal or safe DIY task. The real repair is finding and sealing the leak, then recharging to the exact factory weight.
Cost depends on the refrigerant and the leak. Modern R-410A systems charge at roughly $50 to $150 per pound installed, while older R-22 systems can hit $100 to $200 per pound because the refrigerant is phased out and scarce. Add leak detection and the repair itself, and a low-charge job often totals $500 to $1,500. If your AC runs but blows warm and the lines are frosting over, that points at low charge or airflow; the symptom checklist in why your AC is not cooling helps you describe it before the tech arrives.
Should you repair or replace your AC?
Use the $5,000 rule: multiply the unit's age in years by the repair quote, and if the result tops $5,000, replace it instead of repairing. A 12-year-old unit facing a $500 repair scores $6,000, so you lean toward replacement; a 5-year-old unit with the same $500 repair scores $2,500, so you fix it. It is a quick gut check, not gospel, but it captures the right idea: money sunk into an old system is money you will likely spend again soon.
A few situations override the math and point straight to replacement: the system uses discontinued R-22 refrigerant, the repair costs more than half the price of a new unit, the compressor has failed on a unit past 10 years, or you are facing the third breakdown in two summers. When you do replace, size the new system properly with the BTU calculator first, then read how much a new AC costs so the quotes you get are not a surprise.
How can you keep AC repair costs down?
The cheapest repair is the one you avoid, and that comes down to maintenance: change the filter on schedule, keep the outdoor condenser clear of leaves and grass, and book an annual tune-up. A tech who catches a swelling capacitor or a weak contactor in spring fixes it on a routine visit instead of an emergency call in August, when after-hours rates kick in. Many of the simplest no-cool problems are a tripped breaker, a clogged drain, or a dirty filter, all of which you can rule out yourself using the AC-not-working checklist before paying for a visit.
When you do need a pro, get the most from your money. Confirm whether the failed part is still under the manufacturer's warranty, since that can cut a compressor or coil bill in half. Ask whether the diagnostic fee is credited toward the repair. Get a second quote on any job over about $1,000, because bids on the same fix vary widely. And schedule non-urgent work in the shoulder seasons (spring or fall), when shops are slower and more willing to deal. If the issue is leaky or aging ductwork rather than the equipment, ductwork repair costs follow their own pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the $5,000 rule for AC repair?
The $5,000 rule is a quick repair-or-replace test: multiply the air conditioner's age in years by the cost of the repair. If the number is over $5,000, replace the unit; if it is under, repair it. For example, a 10-year-old unit with a $400 repair scores 4,000, so you fix it, while the same repair on a 15-year-old unit scores 6,000, so you replace it. It is a rule of thumb, not a hard line, but it correctly steers money away from systems near the end of their life.
What is the most expensive part of an AC to replace?
The compressor is the single most expensive AC part to replace, at about $1,200 to $2,800 out of warranty, because it is costly to buy and labor-intensive to swap. Evaporator and condenser coils come next at roughly $650 to $2,800 installed. If any of these fail on a system older than about 10 years, replacing the whole unit usually makes more financial sense than the repair.
Is it worth repairing a 10-year-old air conditioner?
It depends on the repair. A minor fix like a capacitor or contactor is worth doing even at 10 years, because the part is cheap and the system likely has a few seasons left. A major repair like a compressor or coil on a 10-year-old unit is usually not worth it, since you would be spending over $1,000 on a system nearing the end of its 12-to-17-year lifespan. Run the $5,000 rule, and weigh the repair against the cost and efficiency gain of a new unit.
Will homeowners insurance cover AC repair?
Standard homeowners insurance covers AC damage from a covered peril, such as a fire, lightning strike, or storm, but it does not cover mechanical breakdown, wear, or age, which are the usual reasons an AC fails. To cover failure from normal use you need a separate home warranty or an equipment-breakdown rider. Read your policy before assuming a repair is covered, since most routine AC failures are not.
How much does an emergency or after-hours AC repair cost?
Emergency, weekend, and holiday AC repairs cost more than scheduled visits, often adding a $100 to $250 premium or charging 1.5 to 2 times the normal labor rate. A no-cool call during a heat wave can also mean a longer wait and higher demand pricing. If the problem is not urgent and the house is bearable, scheduling during normal hours or the off-season saves the surcharge.