Most AC repairs cost $150 to $650 in 2026, according to This Old House, Fixr and HomeGuide. A capacitor or contactor swap usually lands in the low hundreds, a refrigerant leak repair can run $200 to $1,600, and a new compressor costs $800 to $3,000 or more. Expect a $75 to $250 diagnostic fee, often credited to the repair.
What each common AC repair costs
Electrical parts and drain clogs cost a few hundred dollars, refrigerant leaks cost up to about $1,600, and the compressor is the one big-ticket repair. These ranges include parts and labor and come from three 2026 cost guides: This Old House (updated March 2026), Fixr (July 2026) and HomeGuide.
- Service call or diagnostic fee: $75 to $150 per This Old House, $75 to $250 per Fixr.
- Capacitor: $150 to $400 per This Old House, $100 to $400 per Fixr (average about $175).
- Contactor or relay: $100 to $450 per This Old House, $150 to $400 per Fixr.
- Condensate drain line clog: $80 to $250 per This Old House, $75 to $250 per Fixr.
- Condenser fan motor: $200 to $700 per Fixr and HomeGuide, with Fixr putting the average at $500. This Old House lists fan motors at $300 to $800.
- Refrigerant leak repair and recharge: $200 to $1,600 per Fixr, with an average of $800, and $200 to $1,500 or more per This Old House. The leak's location and your refrigerant type set the final number.
- Compressor: $800 to $2,800 per Fixr, with an average of $1,550, and $1,000 to $3,000 or more per This Old House. If the compressor is still under the manufacturer's warranty, Fixr and HomeGuide both put the bill at $600 to $1,200 for labor and refrigerant.
What makes one AC repair cost more than another
The failed part sets most of the price, and refrigerant type, system age, timing and access move it from there.
- Refrigerant type. Older systems use R-22, which is no longer made or imported in the US. HomeGuide puts installed R-22 at $90 to $150 per pound, against $50 to $80 for R-410A, and a typical recharge adds 2 to 4 pounds.
- System age. Parts for older units can be discontinued or hard to find.
- Timing. Fixr reports that night, weekend and holiday calls add $50 to $200 or more. HomeGuide puts emergency labor at $160 to $250 an hour, against $75 to $150 during business hours.
- Access. An air handler in a cramped attic or crawlspace takes longer to work on than one in a closet, and you pay for that time.
What you can check yourself before you call
You can safely check four things yourself: the air filter, the breaker, the thermostat and the condensate drain. Each can stop an AC from cooling, and each costs little or nothing to fix.
- Air filter. A clogged filter chokes airflow and can ice the indoor coil. Replace it. If you see ice, switch cooling off, set the fan to on, and let it melt. If it ices again, call a tech.
- Breaker. Look for a tripped breaker labeled for the AC or air handler, and check that the disconnect switch beside the outdoor unit is on. Reset a tripped breaker once. If it trips again, stop. That points to an electrical fault, and a licensed tech needs to find it. Never remove the panel cover.
- Thermostat. Confirm it is on cool, with the setpoint below room temperature. If the screen is blank or dim, replace the batteries.
- Condensate drain clog. Water around the indoor unit, or a system that shuts off with a full drain pan, usually means a clogged drain. Turn the system off, then pull the clog out with a wet/dry vacuum at the outdoor end of the drain line, or pour a cup of white vinegar into the access port near the indoor unit. If water keeps backing up or stains a ceiling, call a pro.
Which AC repairs need a licensed HVAC tech
Anything that involves refrigerant, high-voltage parts or the compressor needs a licensed HVAC tech. DIY repairs can also void your equipment warranty, This Old House warns.
- Refrigerant. The EPA requires Section 608 certification to buy the refrigerants used in home AC systems and to service equipment that holds them. An AC doesn't use refrigerant up, so a low charge means a leak.
- Capacitors and contactors. These parts sell cheaply online, but the outdoor unit runs on 240 volts and a capacitor can hold a dangerous charge after the power is off. Leave the swap to a tech.
- Warning signs. Turn the system off and call if a breaker trips again after one reset, you smell burning, or the outdoor unit hums while its fan stays still.
A drain fault can look like a major failure
A system that shuts down or flashes an error code often has a cheap drain problem, not a failed major part. Many AC systems have a float switch that cuts the cooling when the drain backs up. The system looks broken, but the fix sits in the $75 to $250 drain-cleaning range.
The same pattern shows up on the heating side in Runhome homeowner conversations. Homeowners have described a broken PVC elbow at the condensate neutralizer of a high-efficiency furnace, a canister one of them called the "consolidate," with the furnace stuck in a "soft lockout code 11." Runhome contractor estimates for repairing the broken joint and reconnecting the drain ran from $260 to $585 as of September 2026, including the trip and assessment, against $3,650 to $7,500 to replace the furnace and the neutralizer.
That is furnace data, not AC data, but the lesson carries over: in many homes the AC coil sits on the furnace and the two drains run side by side, so check the drain before you assume the worst. The furnace condensate drain guide shows how to tell a pulled joint from a blocked drain.
When replacing your AC beats repairing it
Replace rather than repair when the system is past about 12 years old and needs a major repair, when the compressor fails out of warranty on an aging unit, or when an R-22 system develops a leak.
- Age. This Old House puts AC lifespan at 12 to 15 years, and Fixr at 10 to 15.
- The $5,000 rule. This Old House and Fixr both use it: multiply the unit's age in years by the repair cost, and if the result tops $5,000, replacement usually wins. A $175 capacitor on a 10-year-old unit gives 1,750, so you repair. A $1,550 compressor on a 12-year-old unit gives 18,600, so you replace.
- The 50% rule. Fixr suggests replacing when a repair costs more than half the price of a new system, and puts a new central AC at $3,000 to $7,500 installed.
- R-22 systems. New R-22 production and import ended on January 1, 2020, so only recovered or stockpiled supply remains. The EPA doesn't make you replace a working R-22 system, but a leak that needs refilling at R-22 prices is usually the point to replace it. The label on the outdoor unit names your refrigerant.
- Compressor failure. On an aging system, a new compressor costs a large share of a new system and leaves every other worn part in place.
Common questions
How much does an AC service call cost?
Most HVAC companies charge a diagnostic fee of $75 to $250, based on This Old House and Fixr. Many credit it toward the repair if you hire them, and after-hours calls cost more.
Why does my AC keep needing refrigerant?
Your AC has a leak. A sealed system doesn't use refrigerant up, so one that needs a recharge every summer is losing it. Ask for leak detection and a repair, because a recharge alone only buys time.
Can I replace an AC capacitor myself?
Leave it to an HVAC tech. The part costs only $8 to $50, per Fixr, but a capacitor can hold a dangerous charge after the power is off. A pro swap runs about $100 to $400.
Can a clogged or broken drain line shut down my AC or furnace?
Yes. An AC float switch cuts the cooling when the drain backs up, and a high-efficiency furnace with a broken condensate drain can lock out during startup. Fixing the drain usually clears the shutdown, as the condensate neutralizer guide explains for furnaces.
Is it worth repairing a 15-year-old AC?
Only for a small repair. By the $5,000 rule, a 15-year-old system justifies a repair of about $330 or less, which covers most capacitor, contactor and drain jobs but not a fan motor, a refrigerant leak or a compressor. If the system uses R-22, plan to replace it at the first major failure.