AC Repair in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Air conditioners here run from July through July. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Kootenai County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Coeur d'Alene doesn't ask much of your AC, until a storm does
Summer afternoons here average 77°F, which is mild as far as air conditioners go. Your system isn't fighting extreme heat most days, so when something does go wrong, the heat usually isn't the reason.
What this area does bring is hail and wind. Kootenai County has seen 6 hail events and 68 damaging wind events over the past ten years, with hailstones up to 2.75 inches recorded. The outdoor unit sits outside for all of it. Hail dents the thin aluminum fins on the coil, and a strong gust can rock the unit hard enough to strain the refrigerant lines connecting it to the house. If your AC is blowing warm air or you notice bent fins or a line that looks kinked, that's often where it started.
- 1 months
- July through July, your air conditioner is on duty
- 77°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 6 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 68 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 Kootenai County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Kootenai County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Idaho 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.
Idaho requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The HVAC Board tests contractors before it issues that license, and it keeps a record of who holds one. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license covers this repair and the next one they do for someone else in Kootenai County.
Any technician working on your air conditioner's refrigerant side, whether that means checking a low charge or fixing a leak, has to hold EPA Section 608 certification as well. That certification is federal and separate from the state license. Between the two, the person at your house is accountable both for holding a state-tested license and for being certified to handle the refrigerant your air conditioner runs on.
Sources: Idaho Legislature · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- Usually it means the system is low on refrigerant or the airflow across the coil is blocked. A dirty filter or a coil caked with dust will stop the cold from reaching your vents even if the compressor runs fine. If the air coming out is warm or barely cool, a contractor who holds EPA 608 certification needs to check the refrigerant charge, since that means opening the sealed side of the system.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most often the drain line is clogged. Your AC pulls moisture off the coil as it runs, and that water is supposed to flow out through a small drain line. When that line clogs with algae or debris, the water backs up and finds its way into your house instead. A frozen coil can cause the same thing once it thaws, so if you see ice on the coil or lines, shut the system off and let it thaw before calling for a look.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat and the breaker. Check that the thermostat is set to cool and below room temperature, and that the breaker for the outdoor unit and the one for the indoor air handler haven't tripped. If both look fine and the system still won't start, the problem is likely electrical inside the unit, and that calls for a licensed HVAC contractor since Idaho requires a state license for this kind of repair.