AC Repair in Augusta, ME
Air conditioners here run from July through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Kennebec County will get in touch.
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Two months of real work, then storms to survive the rest of the year
Your air conditioner in Augusta only has to earn its keep in July and August, when afternoons average 77°F. That is not extreme heat, but it means the unit sits idle most of the year and then gets asked to start up and run on demand once summer hits. A system that sat all winter with a weak capacitor or a sticky contactor often shows it the first hot day it is asked to work.
Kennebec County has logged 55 damaging wind events and 12 hail storms over the past ten years, with hail up to 1.5 inches. Wind can bend the thin fins on your outdoor coil or knock the unit out of level. Hail that size can dent the cabinet and damage the fins enough to cut down on airflow. If your AC is running but not cooling like it should after a storm, the coil outside is worth a look.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 77°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 12 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 55 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would save little on running costs in Kennebec County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Kennebec County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Maine fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when a part like a capacitor or contactor has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the compressor has failed or the system uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer made.
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow across the coil, which can make it freeze up and stop cooling. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common reason, and that needs a licensed contractor since it involves sealing the leak and recharging the system. If the outdoor unit isn't running while the indoor blower is, the problem is likely electrical, in the capacitor or contactor. Check the filter first since that's the one thing you can rule out yourself.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Water around your indoor unit usually means the condensate drain line is clogged. As the system runs it pulls moisture off the coil, and that water is supposed to drip into a pan and out through a drain line. Algae and dirt build up in that line over time and block it, so the pan overflows instead. A dirty air filter can also cause this indirectly, since restricted airflow can freeze the coil, and the water shows up when it thaws.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it has power and is set to cool, below the current room temperature. If the thermostat looks fine, check your electrical panel for a tripped breaker, since AC units draw enough current that a breaker trip is common. This area has seen 55 damaging wind events over the past ten years, so if the system stayed off after a storm or the breaker keeps tripping, it's worth checking the outdoor unit for storm damage. If power and settings check out and it still won't start, the issue is likely in the unit itself and needs a contractor to diagnose.