AC Repair in Holland, MI
Air conditioners here run from June through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Ottawa County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Three months of work, then a long rest
Your AC only runs June through August here, and those afternoons average 81°F. A unit that sits idle most of the year and then gets asked to run hard every afternoon is more likely to show a weak capacitor or a low charge right when you need it least.
Ottawa County has logged 35 damaging wind events and 6 hail events over the past ten years. Wind throws debris into the outdoor unit and can bend the fins that let it shed heat. Hail up to an inch has come down hard enough to dent a cabinet or knock a fan out of balance. If your air is running but the house isn't cooling, or the outdoor unit is louder than it used to be, that's often where to look first.
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 81°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 6 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 35 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 Ottawa County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Ottawa County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Michigan 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.
Michigan requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Board of Mechanical Rules tests and licenses the contractor, not the job itself, so the same license covers this repair and every other one that contractor takes on in Michigan.
For an air conditioner repair, the part of the work with its own separate rule is the refrigerant. Any technician who opens the sealed system needs EPA Section 608 certification, and that requirement holds in every state, not just Michigan. Between the two, the state license accounts for the contractor and the federal certification accounts for anyone touching the refrigerant.
Sources: Michigan Legislature · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter cutting off airflow across the coil. When that happens the coil can ice up, and once it's iced the air coming out turns warm. A low refrigerant charge from a leak will do the same thing, but that's not something to check yourself since it means opening a sealed system. Check the filter first. If it's clean and the air is still warm, the system needs a contractor to look at the charge and the coil.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most of the time this is the condensate drain line clogged with algae or dirt, so the water that normally drips outside backs up and finds another way out. It can also mean the coil has iced over and is now melting onto the floor, often from a dirty filter or low airflow. A cracked condensate pan will leak too, usually on older units. Shut the system off if you see water pooling near the indoor unit, and have a contractor clear the line or check the coil.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Make sure it's set to cool and set below the room temperature, and check that it has power if it uses batteries. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker for the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler, since a tripped breaker on either one will keep the system from starting. Michigan summers here only run June through August, so a unit that's sat idle for months is more likely to need a reset or a simple repair than something major. If power and settings check out and it still won't start, a licensed contractor will need to test the actual components.