AC Repair in Kansas City, MO
Air conditioners here run from May through September. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Jackson County will get in touch.
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Five months of heat, and storms in between
Your air conditioner in Jackson County works hard from May through September, with summer afternoons averaging 86°F. That is five straight months of the compressor cycling on through the heat of the day, and on the hottest afternoons it may run for hours without a break.
The storms here add another problem. Jackson County has seen 127 hail events and 212 damaging wind events over the past ten years, with hail up to 3 inches recorded. The outdoor unit sits outside through all of it, and hail can bend the thin fins on the condenser coil or damage the fan. A unit that took a hit in a storm may keep running for a while, but it will struggle to cool the house properly once the coil is damaged.
- 5 months
- May through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 86°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 127 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 212 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 Jackson County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Jackson County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Missouri 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 reason is a dirty air filter choking off airflow across the coil, or the coil itself frozen up with ice. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common cause, and that one won't fix itself. If the outdoor unit isn't running at all while the indoor blower is, the compressor or a capacitor may have failed. A contractor can check refrigerant pressures and airflow to find which one it is.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Water around your indoor unit almost always means the condensate drain line is clogged. Algae and dirt build up in that line over a cooling season and block the water from draining outside, so it backs up and spills out instead. A frozen coil that then thaws can cause the same kind of puddle. Clearing the line usually solves it, but if it keeps happening the drain pan or a p-trap in the line may need a closer look.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to cool, the temperature is below the room's current reading, and it has power if it runs on batteries. If the thermostat looks right, check the breaker for the outdoor unit, since a tripped breaker will keep the whole system dead. With 212 damaging wind events and 127 hail events recorded here over the past ten years, a breaker trip or a knocked-loose disconnect near the outdoor unit is worth ruling out before assuming the worst. If power is reaching the unit and it still won't start, a contractor will need to check the capacitor or the control board.