AC Repair in Jerome, ID
Air conditioners here run from July through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Jerome County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Two months of hard, steady work
Your air conditioner in Jerome only has to earn its keep in July and August, but it earns it every afternoon those two months, with highs averaging 85°F. That's a short season with the compressor running hard and often, day after day, with little letup between them.
Jerome County has also logged 18 damaging wind events over the past ten years, along with a couple of hail events, one that dropped a hailstone an inch across. Wind like that can bend the thin fins on your outdoor coil or knock debris into the unit, and hail can dent the cabinet or the fins themselves. If your air conditioner is blowing warm or struggling to keep up on the hottest afternoons, it's worth having the coil and the outdoor unit checked for damage.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 85°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 2 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 18 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 Jerome County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Jerome 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 license is issued to the contractor, not to the job. Idaho's HVAC Board tests and records the contractor before that license is issued, so the state has a record of who they are and that they met its standard. It does not mean an inspector signs off on this particular repair.
For a repair that involves refrigerant, the contractor also needs to hold EPA Section 608 certification, which every technician in the country needs before opening that side of a system. That's a federal rule, separate from the state license, and it covers the part of the job where refrigerant is handled.
Sources: Idaho Legislature · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow over the coil, which can cause it to freeze. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common reason, and that's a repair only a licensed contractor can make, since opening the refrigerant side requires EPA certification. A failing compressor will also leave you with warm air blowing and needs a contractor to diagnose.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Water around your unit usually means the condensate drain line is clogged. As your AC pulls moisture out of the air, that water is supposed to run out through the drain line, and algae or debris can block it so the water backs up and drips inside instead. A frozen coil that then thaws can also leave water pooling. Either way, a contractor can clear the line or find what's causing the ice.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with your thermostat. Check the batteries and make sure it's set to cool and below the room temperature. If that's not it, check your breaker panel, since a tripped breaker will cut power to the whole unit. If the breaker keeps tripping after you reset it, stop and call a contractor, since that points to an electrical problem inside the unit.