AC Repair in Corpus Christi, TX

Check these first

A surprising number of no-cooling calls come down to something simple. Before anything else:

1. Thermostat: set to "cool," set below the room temperature, and the batteries (if it has them) are fresh.
2. Air filter: a filter clogged with dust and pet hair chokes airflow and can make the indoor coil freeze. Replace it.
3. Breakers: the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler usually have separate breakers, and there is often a disconnect box next to the outdoor unit.
4. Condensate safety switch: many systems shut themselves off when the condensate drain backs up. If the pan under the indoor unit has water in it, that may be why the system stopped.

Common AC problems on the Coastal Bend

Clogged condensate drains

In a humid climate an air conditioner pulls gallons of water out of the air every day. That water drains through a small PVC line, and algae and sludge grow in it. When it clogs, water backs up into the pan, trips a float switch or overflows through the ceiling below an attic unit. Clearing the line and adding a cleanout or treatment tablets helps prevent repeats.

Failed capacitors and contactors

The run capacitor gives the compressor and fan motor the jolt they need to start. Heat is hard on capacitors, and in a Corpus Christi summer they are among the most common failures. Signs: the outdoor unit hums but the fan does not spin, or the unit clicks and does nothing. The contactor, the switch that turns the outdoor unit on, can also pit and stick.

Frozen evaporator coil

Ice on the indoor coil or the larger copper line usually means low airflow (dirty filter, blocked return, dirty coil, failing blower) or low refrigerant. Turn cooling off and run the fan to thaw it. Running a frozen system can send liquid refrigerant back to the compressor.

Refrigerant leaks

An air conditioner does not use up refrigerant; if it is low, it is leaking. Common leak points are the indoor coil, the outdoor coil (especially where salt has corroded it), and fittings. Topping off without finding the leak only buys time. For older systems that use R-22, which is no longer produced, or R-410A, refrigerant cost and availability are part of the repair-or-replace decision. Under the EPA's transition, newer systems use refrigerants like R-454B and R-32 (EPA, Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector).

Salt-corroded outdoor coils

Near the bay and on the islands, salt eats away at coil fins until they crumble and leaves tubing pitted. A badly corroded coil loses capacity and eventually leaks. Fins can be combed and the coil cleaned, but a coil that is flaking apart usually means a new outdoor unit.

Fan motors and dirty outdoor coils

The outdoor fan pulls air through the coil to shed heat. If the motor fails or the coil is caked with dirt, cottonwood fluff or grass clippings, pressures rise and the compressor overheats. On a 95-degree day the system may cut out on high pressure.

It runs but cannot keep up

On the hottest August afternoons, many systems run nonstop and the house still drifts a few degrees above the setting. Some of that is normal. Normals from the National Weather Service put the typical August high at 95°F with lows near 76°F (National Weather Service Corpus Christi, Local Climate (1991–2020 normals)). But if the house climbs steadily all afternoon, or the air from the vents is not much cooler than the room (a working system usually cools air about 15 to 20 degrees as it passes through), something is wrong: low refrigerant, dirty coils, duct leaks or an undersized system.

Repair or replace?

A capacitor, contactor, drain line or fan motor on a system with years left is a repair. A failed compressor or a leaking coil on a system more than 12 to 15 years old, especially one using R-22, is often a replacement conversation. See the repair or replace guide and AC installation.

Questions to ask about a repair

• What failed, and how was it tested?
• If refrigerant is low, where is the leak, and will it be repaired or just recharged?
• Is the part covered by a manufacturer warranty on this system?
• Is anything else close to failing that I should know about?

Related guides

• Should You Repair or Replace Your AC in Corpus Christi?
• Protecting Your AC from Salt Air on the Coastal Bend
• Hurricane Season and Your AC: A Corpus Christi Guide

Sources: National Weather Service Corpus Christi, Local Climate (1991–2020 normals); EPA, Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector; ENERGY STAR, HVAC Maintenance Checklist.