Air Conditioner Repair

Since we’ve moved to Sacramento we’ve relied on our air conditioner far more than we’ve ever had. Coming from the Bay Area we did not have an Air Conditioner in our home. If ever there was a heat wave we simply turned on our fans or took a quick drive to the beach to cool off. Not so in Sacramento. This past week our air conditioner failed to start. The panel would read “System on” however the external condensing unit would not turn on. I first checked the AC fuse box and then the breakers – all looked OK. I ventured in the attic to see if the furnace/coil fuse blew out – again looked OK. At last I called the AC repair person who charged me $85 for a diagnostic. After about 5 minutes with the volt meter he determined the failure was with the relay contactor. I asked him how much it would cost and he said $400 for the repair + tax. I asked if this was something I could repair. Sure enough it was a simple part that cost $37 that was very easily replaceable. In my case it was a one-pole 40amp contactor that had to be replaced. If you’re in Sacramento and mechanically inclined A.C. repair can be done at a fraction of the cost from a repair person.

Here’s the failed part:

You can order your part at Marcon supply – appliance, cooling, and property.

[Update] – Lots of info online such as ‘Furnace Maintenace’ by HowStuffWorks.com