Cost guides
More
Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 14 jobs priced · Methodology
For a small AC repair in the US. The full price list is below.
How we get this data$150–$600 for a small AC repair in the US — $300 typical. A refrigerant leak repair with recharge runs $600–$2,500, a compressor $1,300–$3,000, and a tune-up $75–$200.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 45+ American pricing sources · See methodology
Parts and labor at standard daytime rates. National figures, November 2026.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service call / diagnosticper visit | $75 | $125 | $200 |
| AC tune-upper visit | $75 | $110 | $200 |
| Whole-system HVAC tune-up (AC + furnace)per year | $150 | $230 | $450 |
| Capacitor replacementper repair | $100 | $175 | $400 |
| Contactor replacementper repair | $200 | $300 | $450 |
| Condenser fan motorper repair | $200 | $450 | $700 |
| Drain line clear and flushper repair | $75 | $150 | $250 |
| Refrigerant leak testper visit | $100 | $200 | $330 |
| Refrigerant recharge onlyper repair | $100 | $250 | $600 |
| AC repair, major: refrigerant leak fix + rechargeper repair | $600 | $1,300 | $2,500 |
| Evaporator coil replacementper repair | $1,000 | $2,200 | $4,500 |
| AC compressor replacement (out of warranty)per repair | $1,300 | $2,100 | $3,000 |
| Thermostat replacement (basic)installed | $140 | $230 | $350 |
| Emergency labor (nights, weekends)per hour | $160 | $200 | $250 |
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how HVAC prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $6200.
Labor, rent and demand move every job on this page in the same direction. Open your city's guide for its full local price list.
Most AC repairs are small electrical parts: a capacitor ($100–$400) or contactor ($200–$450) fails far more often than a compressor. Refrigerant problems cost more because the leak has to be found and fixed before a recharge: a leak test runs $100–$330 and the full fix $600–$2,500.
Timing matters. Standard labor is about $75–$150 an hour; nights, weekends and holidays run $160–$250 an hour. On a 95°F weekend, the same capacitor can cost twice as much.
A compressor ($1,300–$3,000) or evaporator coil ($1,000–$4,500) on a system older than 10–12 years is a good time to price a replacement, which runs $4,000–$9,000 for a 3-ton central AC. Get both prices in writing before deciding.
Older systems running R-22 or R-410A are getting costlier to recharge as supplies shrink, which tips the math toward replacing sooner.
A tune-up ($75–$200) should cover cleaning the outdoor coil, checking refrigerant pressures and temperatures, testing the capacitor and contactor, clearing the condensate drain, checking the blower and filter, and measuring the temperature drop across the coil. Leak repairs and refrigerant are extra.
Yearly maintenance plans for both AC and furnace run $150–$450 and often include a repair discount and priority booking.
Be wary of a tech who recommends a recharge without looking for a leak, quotes a new system on the first visit for a small part, or charges by the pound for refrigerant without saying how many pounds went in. Ask for the old part back.
Match what you see to the most likely cause. A tech must confirm it, but this tells you what price to expect.
| What you notice | Most likely cause | Typical price range |
|---|---|---|
| The outdoor unit hums, but the fan does not spin | Bad capacitor, or a failed fan motor | $100–$400 (capacitor); $200–$700 (fan motor) |
| The indoor fan runs, but the outdoor unit stays off | Bad contactor or capacitor | $200–$450 |
| Water near the indoor unit, or the AC shuts itself off | Clogged condensate drain | $75–$250 |
| Ice on the copper lines, or weak cooling | Low refrigerant from a leak, or very poor airflow | $100–$330 to find a leak; $600–$2,500 to fix it |
| The outdoor unit runs, but the air inside is warm | Failed compressor, or a capacitor that stops it starting | $1,300–$3,000 (compressor) |
| Nothing turns on, or the thermostat screen is blank | Thermostat, breaker or drain safety switch | $140–$350 (thermostat) |
A service call ($75–$200) is often credited to the repair if you go ahead.
These take a few minutes and can save you a service call.
The AC runs but cools poorly, and there is ice on the lines. Here is how the bill can add up at typical prices.
Many companies credit the service call to the repair, and some fold the leak test into the repair price. Either one lowers this total. Ask before you approve the work.
Small electrical parts are almost always worth fixing. Big parts on an old system often are not.
| Repair | Price | Under about 10 years old | Over about 12 years old |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacitor, contactor or drain | $100–$400 (capacitor) | Repair | Repair |
| Condenser fan motor | $200–$700 | Repair | Usually repair |
| Refrigerant leak fix + recharge | $600–$2,500 | Repair if the leak can be found and fixed | Get a replacement quote first, more so on an R-22 system |
| Evaporator coil | $1,000–$4,500 | Repair, more so under a parts warranty | Get a replacement quote first |
| Compressor | $1,300–$3,000 | Repair if under a parts warranty | Replace in most cases |
A new 3-ton central AC runs $4,000–$9,000. See AC replacement cost.
Get the answers in writing, on the invoice or by text.
Push back if you hear any of these.
Refrigerant is the main reason leak repairs keep getting pricier. A recharge alone runs $100–$600 today.
R-22, used in many systems put in before about 2010, has not been made or imported in the US since 2020. Only recovered and recycled R-22 is left, so it costs the most.
R-410A is next. It is one of the HFC refrigerants that federal law is phasing down. The HFC supply cap is now 40% below its starting level, and the cut grows to 70% in 2029. New systems now use R-454B or R-32.
If your system is older and needs refrigerant often, a fix may only buy time. Get a replacement quote to compare.
A different job, or got it as a PDF or photo? Use the full quote checker →
Free · No obligation · About a minute
What do you need a price on?
Tap one to start.
What's your rough budget?
A ballpark is fine. It helps the HVAC contractors who reply.
Where should they text you?
By continuing, you agree to our Terms and to up to 2 HVAC contractors contacting you by phone or text.
Check your phone
$150–$600 for common fixes like a capacitor, contactor or clogged drain, with $300 typical. Refrigerant leaks and compressors cost far more.
$100–$600 for the refrigerant alone, but a system that is low has a leak. Finding and fixing it with the recharge runs $600–$2,500.
$75–$200 per visit. A yearly plan covering AC and furnace runs $150–$450.
On a system under about 10 years old with a parts warranty, often yes: $1,300–$3,000 out of warranty, less if the part is covered. On an older system, put that money toward a new one.
Night, weekend and holiday labor runs $160–$250 an hour against about $75–$150 standard, and some companies add a flat after-hours fee.
$100–$400, with $175 typical. It is one of the most common and cheapest AC repairs. Nights and weekends cost more.
$75–$200 for a standard visit, with $125 typical. Many companies credit it to the repair if you go ahead. After-hours labor runs $160–$250 an hour.
Most of the time it is a clogged drain line. Clearing and flushing it runs $75–$250. If the drain pan is cracked or a pump has failed, the price is higher.
$1,000–$4,500, with $2,200 typical. On a system past about 12 years old, price a full replacement before you decide.
Once a year, ideally in spring before the heat comes, as ENERGY STAR advises. A tune-up runs $75–$200. A yearly plan for AC and furnace runs $150–$450.
$200–$700, with $450 typical. If the fan hums but will not spin, the cheaper capacitor may be the real problem, so ask the tech to test it first.