AC repair when your air conditioner stops cooling
Most AC repairs start with a $100 to $200 diagnostic. Breaker keeps tripping? Reset it once only.
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Safe checks before you book
Ten minutes, no tools. Leave the electrical panels, the refrigerant lines and the outdoor unit's cabinet to a technician.
- Thermostat. Set to Cool, fan on Auto, a few degrees below room temperature. Replace the batteries if the screen is blank.
- Give it 5 minutes. Many systems wait a few minutes after a setting change or a power blip to protect the compressor.
- Filter. A clogged filter starves the indoor coil of air. Replace it if you cannot see light through it.
- Power. Central AC uses two circuits: the furnace, which runs the indoor fan, and a double breaker for the outdoor unit. Check both, plus the disconnect box on the wall beside the outdoor unit. Reset a tripped breaker once only.
- Outdoor coil. Cottonwood fluff, grass clippings and leaves can blanket it. With the power off at the disconnect, rinse it gently with a garden hose. No pressure washer.
- Condensate. Water around the furnace or a full condensate pump can trip a float switch that turns cooling off.
Ice on the copper line or coil?
Turn cooling off at the thermostat and set the fan to On. Let it thaw for a few hours with towels down for the melt water, and replace the filter. Running a frozen AC can damage the compressor. If it freezes again, book a repair: it usually means low refrigerant or an airflow problem.
The furnace blower moves the cold air too. If no air comes from the vents at all, the fault may be on the furnace side. See furnace repair.
What your AC is doing, and what it usually costs
Match the symptom, then expect a diagnostic visit to confirm the cause before any work starts. Most companies charge for that visit; the FAQ on the FurnaceQuotes.ca home page explains the fee.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor fan will not turn, though the unit hums | Failed capacitor, one of the most common AC repairs | $150 to $350 |
| Indoor fan runs, outdoor unit stays silent, breaker and disconnect are fine | Contactor or capacitor | $150 to $350 |
| Outdoor unit keeps running with the thermostat off | Stuck contactor | $150 to $350 |
| Air feels cool at best, it runs nonstop, ice on the copper line | Refrigerant leak | $400 to $1,500 |
| Outdoor fan is not turning and the unit shuts off hot | Condenser fan motor | $400 to $800 |
| Breaker trips, a loud clunk, or the outdoor unit runs with no cooling | Compressor failure | $1,800 to $3,500 |
| Not sure what is wrong | Diagnostic or service call | $100 to $200 |
Refrigerant: a top-up is not a repair
Your AC is a sealed system. It does not use up refrigerant, so if the charge is low, it is leaking. Adding more without finding the leak means paying again next summer.
Red flags
"It just needs a top-up"
A recharge with no leak search. The leak, and the bill, come back.
A recharge every year
A yearly top-up is a leak nobody has fixed.
No type or amount on the invoice
You cannot check what was charged or compare prices.
Green flags
The leak is found first
An electronic detector, bubble test, dye or pressure test, with the location written down.
The repair is priced with the recharge
Typical leak repair and recharge: $400 to $1,500.
Type and amount on the bill
For example R-410A, and how many pounds or kilograms were added.
Systems installed before about 2010 often use R-22, an older refrigerant that is being phased out. It is scarce and costly, so a large R-22 leak on an old system is usually the point to price a replacement. Newer systems use R-410A or lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32. In Ontario, anyone who handles refrigerant needs ozone depletion prevention training, often called an ODP card. It is fair to ask.
Fix the AC or replace it?
Small parts are almost always worth fixing. A failed compressor or a big leak on an older unit is where replacement starts to make sense.
Repair usually makes sense
- The unit is under about 10 years old
- A capacitor, contactor or fan motor failed
- The compressor is still under the manufacturer's warranty (registration is often required)
- It uses R-410A or a newer refrigerant
Get a replacement quote too
- The unit is 12 to 15 years old or more
- The compressor failed out of warranty: $1,800 to $3,500 to replace
- It runs on R-22 and has a leak
- It has needed refrigerant more than once
Worked example: a 13-year-old AC needs a new compressor at $1,800 to $3,500. A new standard central AC typically costs $3,800 to $7,000 installed. The middle of the repair range is about 49% of a new unit, and it puts a new compressor into an old system. Get an air conditioner replacement quote before deciding.
If your furnace is also near the end of its life, compare replacing the furnace and AC together in one visit.
Or replace it with a heat pump
A cold-climate heat pump cools like an AC and also heats your home for much of the year. A ducted system typically costs $9,000 to $18,000, or $11,000 to $20,000 paired with a gas furnace for the coldest days. See heat pump quotes.
Rebates: check before you sign
Ontario's Home Renovation Savings program offers heat pump rebates with eligibility rules by heating fuel, home type and product, and it requires approval before installation. Program rules change often, so check the official pages before you buy and never sign because of a promised rebate amount. New applications for the Canada Greener Homes Loan ended on October 1, 2025.
What to ask the technician
Get these answers before the work starts, and in writing on the invoice after.
- Does the service call fee count toward the repair if I go ahead?
- Which refrigerant does my system use, and how much are you adding?
- Where is the leak, and is fixing it included in the price?
- How long is the warranty on the part, and on the labour?
- Is the compressor or part still under the manufacturer's warranty?
- Can I have the price in writing before you start?
More in what to ask before you sign.
When to book
The first heat wave of summer is the busiest time for AC repairs. If your AC struggled last year, book a check in spring. A unit that short-cycles, ices up or trips its breaker is warning you before it fails completely.
Not cooling? Send a repair request in about a minute.
Get A Free QuoteCommon questions
Straight answers. If yours is not here, the company can answer it during your free estimate.
Why is the AC running while the house stays warm?
Start with the simple causes: the thermostat not set to Cool, a clogged filter, a tripped breaker or disconnect for the outdoor unit, or a dirty outdoor coil. If the indoor fan runs but the outdoor unit is silent, a capacitor or contactor is the usual suspect. Warm air with ice on the copper line points to low refrigerant, which means a leak.
How much does AC repair cost in Ontario?
A diagnostic visit typically costs $100 to $200. A capacitor or contactor runs $150 to $350, a condenser fan motor $400 to $800 and a refrigerant leak repair with recharge $400 to $1,500, before HST. A compressor is the big one at $1,800 to $3,500, which is when many owners compare against a new AC.
Should I just get my AC recharged?
Not without finding the leak. An air conditioner does not use refrigerant up, so a low charge means a leak. A top-up alone may cool for a while, then the leak empties it again. Ask for a leak search and a repair price, and have the refrigerant type and amount written on the invoice.
Why does my air conditioner keep freezing up?
Ice forms when the indoor coil gets too cold. The usual causes are poor airflow, such as a clogged filter, closed vents or a weak blower, and low refrigerant from a leak. Turn cooling off and run the fan to thaw it, replace the filter, and book a repair if it freezes again.
Is it worth repairing a 12-year-old air conditioner?
For a small part such as a capacitor, contactor or fan motor, usually yes. For a compressor out of warranty at $1,800 to $3,500, or a leak on an R-22 system, a new standard AC at $3,800 to $7,000 or a heat pump is usually the better spend. Most central air conditioners last about 12 to 15 years.
AC not cooling? Send a repair request
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Takes under a minute. No cost, no commitment.