AC Repair in Baton Rouge, LA

Before you call: four quick checks

1. Thermostat. Mode on "cool," set a few degrees below the room temperature, and fresh batteries if it uses them.
2. Filter. In a Baton Rouge summer, a 1-inch filter can clog in a month, especially with pets. A blocked filter can freeze the coil and stop cooling entirely.
3. Breakers and disconnect. The outdoor condenser and the indoor air handler or furnace each have a breaker, and there is usually a pull-out disconnect beside the outdoor unit.
4. Float switch. Most attic systems have a safety switch in the drain pan or on the drain line that shuts the AC off when water backs up. If there is water in the pan, that is likely why it stopped.

The most common AC failures in south Louisiana

Condensate drain clogs

In Baton Rouge's humidity, an air conditioner can remove a lot of water in a day. It drains through a narrow PVC line, and that warm, wet, dark pipe is a perfect place for algae and slime. When it clogs, the primary pan overflows into the secondary pan, the float switch shuts the system off, or, if there is no working switch, water comes through the ceiling. Clearing the line, adding a cleanout tee, and treating it regularly prevent most repeats.

Capacitors and contactors

Heat kills capacitors. When the run capacitor weakens, the outdoor fan or compressor struggles to start; you may hear a hum and see the fan sit still. The contactor, the relay that turns the outdoor unit on, can burn or stick. These are among the most frequent summer repairs.

Frozen coils

Ice on the indoor coil or the large insulated copper line means the coil got too cold, usually from low airflow (a dirty filter or coil, a failing blower, closed or blocked returns) or low refrigerant. Turn cooling off and run the fan to thaw it before anything else.

Refrigerant leaks

If refrigerant is low, there is a leak. Indoor coils develop pinhole leaks from corrosion over time, and fittings and service valves can leak too. A leak should be found and repaired, not just topped off. For older systems on R-22, which is no longer produced, or R-410A, the refrigerant question feeds into whether to repair. New systems use refrigerants like R-454B and R-32 under the EPA's transition (EPA, Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector).

Dirty outdoor coils

Grass clippings, pollen, leaves and the cottony fluff some trees shed in spring mat onto the outdoor coil. A dirty coil cannot shed heat, so pressures and electric use climb and the compressor runs hot.

Blower and fan motors

The indoor blower moves air over the coil and through the ducts. A failing motor or capacitor means weak airflow, a frozen coil or no air at all.

"It runs all day and can't keep up"

Under NWS normals, Baton Rouge averages highs around 92°F in July and August with lows in the low 70s (National Weather Service New Orleans/Baton Rouge, 1991–2020 Climate Normals). On those days a properly sized system may run for long stretches and still let the house drift a degree or two above the setting late in the afternoon. That is normal. What is not normal: the house warming steadily through the day, supply air that is only slightly cooler than room air (a typical drop across the coil is about 15 to 20°F), or humidity creeping up. Those point to low charge, dirty coils, duct leaks in the attic or an undersized system.

Repair or replace?

Capacitors, contactors, motors, drain problems and thermostats are repairs at almost any age. A failed compressor or a leaking coil on a system 12 to 15 years old, especially an R-22 system, usually leads to a replacement conversation. See AC installation.

Related guides

• Getting Your AC Ready for a Baton Rouge Summer

Sources: National Weather Service New Orleans/Baton Rouge, 1991–2020 Climate Normals; EPA, Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector; ENERGY STAR, HVAC Maintenance Checklist.