What homeowners reported paying for 13 common AC repairs, from a $310 capacitor to a $3,000 compressor, with what changes each price.
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.
The table sorts by median, cheapest first. The last column gives what the manufacturers we checked say changes each price. Where we found no statement, the row says so.
Reported price, U.S. dollars
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. N is the number of reports behind each row.
| Repair | Median | Most (middle half) | Reports | What changes the price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit | $190 | $100–$290 | 62 | Companies charge a fee to send a technician and some apply it to the repair if you hire them. Emergency rates can run double to triple the regular hourly rate.Source: Trane |
| Capacitor | $310 | $220–$400 | 26 | The capacitor's brand, model, and voltage, and the labor needed. The part must match the unit's microfarad and voltage rating.Source: Trane; Carrier |
| Tune-up | $380 | $120–$530 | 15 | What the tune-up includes, your location, the size and accessibility of the system, local labor costs, and whether you have a maintenance agreement. Coil cleaning and parts can cost extra.Source: Trane |
| Thermostat | $580 | $500–$700 | 12 | The type of thermostat, the labor involved, and where you live. Rewiring or relocating the thermostat raises the cost.Source: Trane |
| Condensate drain line or pump | $600 | $440–$1,000 | 15 | Your location, how hard the clog is, and whether the drain pan needs cleaning too.Source: Carrier |
| Refrigerant recharge | $690 | $460–$1,200 | 48 | Refrigerant type (R-22 or R-410A), how much refrigerant the system needs, local labor, and fees. A recharge means there is a leak.Source: Trane; Carrier |
| Control board | $930 | $700–$1,700 | 29 | We found no manufacturer statement on what moves this price. |
| Condenser fan motor (outdoor fan) | $1,200 | $610–$1,600 | 13 | We found no manufacturer statement on what moves this price. Reports are few, so treat the range as rough. |
| Refrigerant leak repair | $1,320 | $800–$3,000 | 32 | Where the leak is, how hard the repair is, and how much refrigerant it takes to refill the system.Source: Carrier |
| Blower motor (indoor fan) | $1,400 | $800–$2,200 | 33 | Motor type: Lennox says a single-speed motor is generally the least expensive and a variable-speed motor has the highest initial cost.Source: Lennox |
| Expansion valve (TXV) | $1,900 | $1,180–$2,500 | 17 | We found no manufacturer statement on what moves this price. |
| Evaporator coil (indoor coil) | $3,000 | $2,000–$4,500 | 57 | Whether a warranty covers the coil (labor, refrigerant, and taxes are still yours), and matching the new coil to the unit's tonnage, refrigerant type, and cabinet width.Source: Trane; Carrier |
| Compressor | $3,000 | $1,900–$4,000 | 43 | Carrier's list: compressor type, unit size (tonnage), brand and model, installation labor, warranty coverage, efficiency rating, and location.Source: Carrier |
Too few reports to price (fewer than 10): contactor: 3 reports; condenser coil, outdoor coil: 5 reports.
A visit usually starts with a diagnostic fee. Homeowners reported a median of $190 (most $100–$290, 62 reports).
Trane says companies charge a fee just to send a technician and may apply it to the repair if you hire them for the work, and that emergency rates can run double to triple the regular hourly rate. Carrier lists the diagnostic fee, the complexity of the part, the unit's age and type, warranty coverage, and urgency as factors in the final price.
Sources: Trane: What Is the Average Central Air Conditioner Repair Cost?; Carrier: Air Conditioner Repair Guide. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
$190 Service-call fee (62 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by ready made via Pexels.
A sealed AC does not use up refrigerant. Carrier says needing a recharge means there is a leak that must be repaired, and EPA asks homeowners to have technicians locate and repair leaks instead of topping off.
A recharge alone had a median of $690, and a leak repair had a median of $1,320. Only a technician with EPA Section 608 certification can add refrigerant, which is why this guide gives no steps for it.
The refrigerant type matters. EPA says that after 2020 only recycled, reclaimed, or previously produced R-22 can be used to service existing equipment. Trane lists whether a system takes R-22 or R-410A among the factors in a recharge price.
Sources: Carrier: What is a Home AC Recharge?; U.S. EPA: Homeowners and Consumers: Frequently Asked Questions; U.S. EPA: Purchasing and Repairing Home Air-Conditioners or Heat Pumps; Trane: AC Refrigerant Recharge Pricing Guide. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
Check the warranty before you pay for a part. Trane says its base limited warranty covers parts that fail from a manufacturer defect but not the labor, lasts five years in most cases, and lasts 10 years in most cases if the product is registered within 60 days of installation. Carrier offers a 10-year parts-only warranty or 5 years of parts plus 3 years of labor if you register within 90 days, and the labor option only applies if the installing dealer chose to take part.
Goodman says its default is a 5-year parts warranty, up to 10 years if the unit is registered online within 60 days of installation. Lennox's default warranty is parts only.
Sources: Trane: Warranty and Registration; Carrier: Carrier Home HVAC Warranty Registration & Coverage; Lennox: Lennox Warranty; Goodman: The Air Conditioner Limited Warranty: The Why, When, How. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
$310
Capacitor (26 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
A tune-up had a median of $380 (most $120–$530, 15 reports). ENERGY STAR says a typical check-up includes cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils, checking the refrigerant level, tightening electrical connections, lubricating moving parts, and checking the condensate drain. It says a plugged drain can cause water damage in the house.
Sources: ENERGY STAR: Maintenance Checklist. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
A median evaporator coil repair ($3,000) is 38 percent of a median outdoor unit and coil replacement ($7,850) in our data. Trane and Lennox both suggest multiplying the unit's age by the repair cost and considering replacement if the result is over $5,000. The AC replacement cost guide works through the numbers.
Sources: Trane: AC Replacement or AC Repair: What's Right for You?; Lennox: Deciding to Repair or Replace Your Air Conditioner. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
$3,000 Evaporator coil (57 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Bingqian Li via Pexels.
Many no-cooling calls start with a cause you can rule out yourself. The DIY guides cover AC not cooling, AC leaking water, AC freezing up, AC will not turn on, AC short cycling, AC making noise, thermostat blank and mini-split problems. For local data, see the Tampa Bay ring page.
Each price is the median of the reports for that job, and "most" is the middle half of them (25th to 75th percentile). Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
The reports are a mix of quotes homeowners received and invoices they paid, from U.S. posters, and we publish no price for a repair with fewer than 10 reports. We link no individual post.
Open
Need a licensed HVAC pro in the Tampa Bay outer ring? Call and we'll connect you with a licensed local contractor.
HVACPro is a free referral service for homeowners, not an HVAC company. We don't do the work, and we may be paid by the contractor. Check any contractor's license on the state's lookup before you hire.
Every city below has an A-to-Z list of the businesses with an active Florida HVAC license there. The number on each chip is that count.
Counts: businesses with an active license and a city address in the Tampa Bay outer ring, from FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv), retrieved 2026-10-05. A license says the state permits the work, not that the work is good.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Yusuf Çelik via Pexels.
Homeowners reported a median of $190, with most from $100–$290 (62 reports). Trane says some companies apply the fee to the repair if you hire them for the work.
Homeowners reported a median of $310, with most from $220–$400 (26 reports). Carrier says a capacitor stores high-voltage electricity even when the power is off, so a technician should replace it.
Homeowners reported a median of $1,320, with most from $800–$3,000 (32 reports). Carrier says the price depends on where the leak is, how hard the repair is, and how much refrigerant is needed to refill the system.
Homeowners reported a median of $3,000, with most from $1,900–$4,000 (43 reports). Carrier lists compressor type, unit size, brand and model, installation labor, warranty coverage, efficiency rating, and location as the factors.
Homeowners reported a median of $3,000, with most from $2,000–$4,500 (57 reports). Trane says a replacement under warranty costs less because the warranty covers the coil, while labor, refrigerant, and taxes are still yours.
Trane and Lennox both suggest multiplying the unit's age by the repair cost and considering replacement if the result is over $5,000. ENERGY STAR suggests considering replacement once a unit is more than 10 years old and needs frequent repairs.
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Other facts on this page come from the sources listed above.