AC Repair in Billings, MT
Air conditioners here run from July through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Yellowstone County will get in touch.
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Two short months, and hail in between
Your air conditioner in Yellowstone County only has to carry you through July and August, but those afternoons average 83°F, and the outdoor unit takes the weather straight on. Hail has hit the area 167 times in the last ten years, with stones up to 3 inches across, and damaging wind has come through 154 times. Either one can bend the fins on the outdoor coil or knock the fan blade out of true, and a coil that can't shed heat the way it should makes the whole system work harder to cool your house.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 83°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 167 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 154 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 Yellowstone County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Yellowstone County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Montana 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.
Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The state license is held by the contractor, not issued job by job. It covers the business and its qualifying tradesperson on record with the Department of Labor and Industry. Montana sets one exception. Work under $2,500 does not need a licensed contractor at all.
If the repair on your air conditioner involves opening the refrigerant lines, the technician needs EPA Section 608 certification. That rule applies everywhere in the country, not just Montana, and it stands separate from the state license.
Source: Montana Legislature
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow across the coil, which can make the coil ice up and send warm air through the vents. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common cause, and that only shows up as warm air once the charge drops low enough. A failing compressor will do the same thing. Since diagnosing low refrigerant means opening the sealed system, that part of the job has to be done by a technician with EPA 608 certification.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Water around your AC usually means the condensate drain line is clogged, so water backs up instead of draining outside. Algae and dust build up in that line over time and block it. It can also mean the coil has iced over and is now melting, which often traces back to a dirty filter or low airflow. Either way the water needs to go somewhere, and a blocked line or a full drain pan is the usual reason it ends up on your floor instead.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it is set to cool and the temperature is set below the room temperature, and check the batteries if it has a screen that looks dim or blank. If the thermostat looks fine, check your breaker panel, since a tripped breaker will keep the outdoor unit from getting power. If the breaker is fine and the system still won't start, the capacitor or contactor in the outdoor unit may have failed, and that calls for a licensed contractor to diagnose.