We have been running AC repair calls across Pearland, Sugar Land, and South Houston for 36 years. A significant number of those calls end with a fix the homeowner could have handled themselves. That is not a complaint. It is a reason to write this post.
Here is a five-point checklist you can walk through in ten minutes, followed by what to actually look for when you do need a professional.
The five-point checklist
1. Is the thermostat on?
If the thermostat screen is blank, the batteries are dead. We get more false alarms from this than from anything else. A homeowner sees a dead screen and assumes the worst. We show up and swap two AA batteries, and the system fires right up.
It takes 30 seconds and costs a dollar. Check this first.
2. Is the breaker on?
Your AC system has at least one dedicated breaker in your electrical panel, sometimes two (one for the air handler, one for the outdoor unit). If a breaker has tripped, flip it back. If it trips again immediately, stop. That is a real electrical issue and needs a licensed technician. But a single trip from a power surge or storm is common and does not mean anything is broken.
3. Is there air coming out of the vents?
Hold your hand in front of a supply vent. You should feel air moving. If you feel nothing, go check your air filter.
After dead thermostat batteries, a clogged air filter is the next thing we find on these calls. The evaporator coil needs air moving across it to work. Without airflow, the coil temperature drops below freezing and the coil ices up solid. We have pulled filters out of systems that looked like they had not been changed in a year. By that point the coil is a block of ice and the system is not cooling at all.
Pull the filter out. Hold it up to a light. If no light passes through, replace it. Give the system a few hours to recover if the coil has frozen, and see if that solves the problem before calling anyone.
4. Is the outdoor unit fan running?
Walk outside to the condenser unit. When the system is calling for cooling, the fan on top should be spinning. If it is not moving at all, the outdoor unit has either lost power (check that second breaker) or has a component failure like a bad capacitor or fan motor. That one needs a tech.
5. Is the outdoor unit compressor running?
This is the one most homeowners miss. The fan on top can be spinning fine, but if the compressor is not running, the system is just blowing outdoor air around. It is not actually cooling anything.
With the fan running, put your hand near the side of the unit. You should feel warm air being pushed out. If the fan is spinning but the air coming off the unit is not warm, the compressor is likely not running. That means the refrigerant is not cycling and your home is not being cooled. This one needs a professional, but at least you can tell the tech exactly what you observed when you call.
When you do need to call: how to choose
Licensed and insured. Do not skip this.
In Texas, HVAC contractors must be licensed through TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation). This is not a formality. A licensed contractor has met the state's training requirements and carries insurance. If something goes wrong, someone is accountable.
We have seen what happens when homeowners go with the technician moonlighting on weekends or the construction company that "has a guy." You are risking your family's health and the safety of your home.
The worst case we have seen: an unlicensed install that caused a fire in the attic. The homeowner had no recourse. The installer had no license and no insurance, so there was no liability coverage to claim against. The customer could not even get ahold of them for warranty issues. That is not a hypothetical. It happened.
Ask for the TDLR license number. Verify it. Check that they carry general liability insurance. It takes five minutes.
Look at the track record
Look at reviews and years in business, and check that the company has a physical location in your area. A company that has been around for decades is not going anywhere. They will be there when you need warranty work or a follow-up. A company that appeared on Google last month might not be.
Prices are not a mystery
This is the one thing most AC companies will not say out loud: nearly every licensed HVAC contractor in your area pays close to the same price for equipment and materials. The margin on a condenser or a compressor does not swing much from one company to the next.
What differs is the company behind the price: its license and insurance, its reviews, how long it has been in one place doing the same work. Pick the company that will still be around when you need it again.
About those $49 tune-up deals
They are not bad, as long as the company offering them is reputable and licensed. The question is what you actually get for that price.
Ask for a detailed list of what was done during the tune-up. A good company will give you the measured readings and photos of what they found. Every tune-up we do comes with a written report that has both, so you can see what was checked.
If a company cannot tell you what they did, or the tune-up is just a foot in the door to sell you a replacement, that is your answer.
Know your system
Before you pick up the phone, it helps to know three things about your equipment:
- Age of the system. Look at the data plate on the outdoor unit or the air handler. The install date or manufacture date is usually printed there.
- Warranty status. Most residential equipment comes with a 5- to 10-year parts warranty. If your system is still under warranty, the repair cost can be significantly lower.
- Model number. It is on the same data plate. Having this ready when you call saves the tech time diagnosing and lets the company check parts availability before the visit.
Do not wait on these two things
Most AC issues can wait a day for a scheduled appointment. Two things cannot:
- Water dripping where it should not be. A leaking drain pan or clogged condensate line can soak drywall and insulation fast. A small drip can turn into a big repair bill within a day or two.
- A loud or unusual sound. Grinding or banging from the air handler or outdoor unit means a component is failing, and so does screeching. Running the system through it turns a part replacement into a full equipment failure.
If you hear or see either one, call that day.
You've done your half of the homework. Call 281-992-7866 or book online and we'll show up with the gauges.