Browse our heating and cooling services.
Short answer
A sealed system does not consume refrigerant, so a unit that is low has a leak: topping it up without finding that leak buys a season at most. Separately, a system running without cooling is not always short of capacity: restricted airflow produces the same complaint far more cheaply. Those two facts between them account for most of the money wasted on cooling repairs. A recharge quoted without a leak search is a subscription, not a fix, and a capacity diagnosis made without checking the filter and returns is a guess. Ask what the technician measured, whether a leak search was performed and what it found, and whether airflow was ruled out before any refrigerant work was proposed.
HVAC and air-conditioning service by town
Jobs this covers
- Central A/C repair
- Ductless cooling repair
- Heat pump cooling problems
- Thermostat and control service
- Frozen-coil diagnosis
- Condensate leak repair
Common problems and warning signs
- Air is warm or weak
- The system starts and stops
- Ice forms on the indoor or outdoor equipment
- Water appears near the air handler
- Humidity stays high
- The outdoor unit will not run
What service may include
Frozen coils usually mean an airflow problem. A technician may check thermostat operation, airflow, filter, coils, blower, condensate, electrical components and the sealed refrigerant system.
What affects the recommendation and price
A refrigerant leak costs more than an electrical fault. Equipment type and age, fault, refrigerant, parts, duct condition, access and whether water damage or electrical repair is needed affect cost.
What is different around Burlington
A short cooling season means these faults tend to be discovered on the first genuinely hot day, when demand for service is at its peak.
What a written quote should tell you
- If refrigerant was added, where the leak is and what repairing it would cost
- Whether airflow was assessed before capacity was blamed
- Which component failed, and its condition relative to the rest of the system
- The refrigerant type, which affects both cost and the case for replacement on older units
- The unit's age set against the repair, with replacement priced if it is marginal
| Fact | Consequence |
|---|---|
| A sealed system doesn't consume refrigerant | Low refrigerant means a leak: topping up without finding it buys one season |
| Restricted airflow mimics low capacity | Cheaper to fix, and should be ruled out before refrigerant work is proposed |
How to check an air conditioner that is not cooling
Two of the most common causes are things a homeowner can find in ten minutes, and one of them is free to fix.
Before you start: If the indoor coil or the refrigerant lines are covered in ice, switch the system off before doing anything else. Running an iced system risks the compressor, which is the expensive component.
- Change the filter. A restricted filter is the single most common cause of an air conditioner that runs without cooling, and it can freeze the indoor coil solid. Replace it before anything else.
- Check for ice. Look at the indoor coil and the large insulated refrigerant line. If either is iced, turn the cooling off, leave the fan running, and let it thaw for several hours before going further.
- Clear the outdoor unit. Remove leaves, grass clippings and anything stored against the condenser, and cut back vegetation to leave clearance on all sides. It rejects heat by moving air, and it cannot do that through a hedge.
- Check the thermostat and the power. Confirm it is set to cool and below room temperature, then check both the breaker and the outdoor disconnect box beside the condenser.
- Observe what is running. Note whether the indoor fan runs, whether the outdoor fan runs, and whether the outdoor unit hums without starting. That last one usually points to a failed capacitor, which is one of the cheapest repairs there is.
- Feel the large refrigerant line. With the system running, the large insulated line at the outdoor unit should be cold. If it is not, the system is likely low on refrigerant, which means a leak, since a sealed system does not consume it.
Safety comes first
Turn the system off for burning odor, sparking, repeated breaker trips or water contacting electrical components.
Common questions
Why is my A/C blowing warm air?
Thermostat settings, airflow, a dirty coil, electrical faults, compressor trouble or a refrigerant-system problem are possible causes.
Should I run the system when the coil is frozen?
No. Continuing can worsen the problem. Turn cooling off and request service.
Why is the house cool but humid?
Oversizing, short run times, airflow, thermostat settings or building moisture can reduce dehumidification.
Can a heat pump be repaired in cooling mode?
Yes. The same equipment provides cooling, and diagnosis includes both indoor and outdoor components.
What is a capacitor and why does it fail so often?
A capacitor stores and releases an electrical charge to give the compressor and fan motors the surge they need to start, and to help them run efficiently afterwards. It fails often because it is an electrolytic component under repeated thermal and electrical stress, and it is a consumable, not a permanent part. A swollen or leaking top is the visual sign. The good news is that it is one of the cheapest parts in the system. The bad news is that a failed capacitor left in service makes the compressor struggle to start, and that strain is what turns an inexpensive repair into an expensive one.
How do I know if it is low on refrigerant or something else?
Compare what the two units are doing. If the outdoor unit runs and the indoor fan runs but the air is only mildly cool, and the large insulated refrigerant line at the outdoor unit is not cold to the touch, low charge is a strong candidate. If the indoor fan runs and the outdoor unit does not, suspect the contactor, the capacitor or the breaker. If nothing runs at all, start at the thermostat and the power. A failed run capacitor is one of the most common and least expensive air conditioning repairs, and its symptom is a unit that hums but will not start.
What can I check before calling about air conditioning?
Change the filter first: a restricted filter is the single most common cause of an air conditioner that runs but does not cool, and it can freeze the indoor coil solid. Then check the outdoor unit is clear of debris and vegetation with a couple of feet of clearance, check the breaker and the outdoor disconnect, and confirm the thermostat is on cool and set below room temperature. If the indoor coil or the refrigerant line is iced, turn the system off and leave the fan running to thaw it before anyone works on it, which takes a few hours.
What happens if I keep running an air conditioner that is icing up?
You risk the compressor, which is the expensive component. Ice on the coil means the system is not absorbing heat properly, and liquid refrigerant that should have evaporated can return to the compressor, which is designed to compress gas and not liquid. That damage accumulates. The underlying causes are almost always airflow restriction or low refrigerant charge, and both are far cheaper to address than a compressor, so an iced system should be shut off rather than nursed through a hot week.
How long does an air conditioner last in Vermont?
Often longer than the national figure, and the reason is run hours: a Vermont cooling season is short, so equipment that would be worn out in fifteen years in a southern climate frequently reaches twenty here. The offsetting factor is that lightly used equipment develops its own problems. Seals dry out, and a system that sits idle for nine months can lose refrigerant slowly without anyone noticing until June. Starting the system for a test run in May, not discovering the fault in the first heat wave is a small, worthwhile habit.
Can a landlord be required to provide air conditioning in Vermont?
Generally no. Vermont's habitability standard covers heat, hot water and safe conditions. Cooling is normally treated as an amenity rather than a requirement, so a broken air conditioner in a rental is usually a lease question instead of a habitability one. Two qualifiers: if the lease promises air conditioning, the landlord has contracted to provide it, and extreme heat combined with a specific documented medical need can change the conversation. Check the lease first, and raise it in writing either way.