AC repair in Santa Monica
When the air conditioner will not cool, we find the fault, explain it, and quote the repair before any work starts.
Santa Monica is mild most of the year, so an air conditioner here can sit idle for months and then be asked to work hard on a warm week.
January averages about 56°F and August about 70°F, and from May to early August the mornings often start under May Gray and June Gloom. That makes a long rest for the equipment, and a rest is when a capacitor dries out, a drain line clogs or a small leak lets the charge drift down.
Close to the water, from Ocean Park to the blocks around the Santa Monica Pier, salt air also works on the outdoor coil and its fins. We look at the condition of the outdoor unit as well as the part that failed.
What we usually find
Runs but does not cool
Low refrigerant from a slow leak, a failed capacitor or a dirty coil. We test before we name a part.
Will not start after the winter
A tripped breaker, a burnt contactor or a thermostat that lost its settings.
Water where it should not be
A drain line that dried, cracked or clogged over the cool months.
Corroded outdoor unit
Salt air on fins and electrical connections near the coast. Cleaning helps; badly corroded coils are a replacement question.
Older systems in older buildings
Most of Santa Monica's homes were built before 1980, and 85% before 1990, with rentals from the 1960s and 1970s the largest groups. Many systems in those buildings are second or third replacements on old ductwork or in tight closets, and we check the airflow along with the equipment.
If the repair is bigger than the system is worth, our AC installation page explains what a Santa Monica replacement involves. For a single hot room or an apartment with no ducts, see ductless mini splits; and if you want one system for heating and cooling, look at heat pumps.
How a repair visit works
Tell us what it is doing
No cooling, noise, water or no power. A photo of the outdoor unit's label helps.
Diagnosis
Electrical tests, refrigerant pressures, airflow and drainage, then a plain explanation.
A price first
You approve the repair before any part goes in.
Fixed and checked
We run the system and measure the temperature drop at the vents before we leave.
AC repair questions from Santa Monica
Why does my air conditioner fail on the first warm week in Santa Monica?
It may not have run for months. Capacitors, contactors and drain lines often fail on the first long cycle after a rest. A spring check catches most of it.
Does the ocean air damage an air conditioner?
Salt air corrodes outdoor coils and connections faster near the coast. Rinsing the coil and a yearly check slow it down.
Should I repair or replace an older unit?
If it uses R-22 refrigerant, needs a compressor or the coil is badly corroded, replacement often makes more sense. We give you both prices when the choice is close.
Air conditioner not working? Tell us what it is doing and we will book a visit.
Cool again, without the guesswork
Call us, or send the form and we will call you back, every day, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Also look at Home.