AC Repair in Bluefield, WV
Air conditioners here run from June through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Mercer County will get in touch.
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Three months of hard running, then storms
Your air conditioner in Bluefield only has June through August to do its job, and it runs hard those three months with afternoons averaging 80°F. That kind of steady demand puts real hours on the compressor and the fan motor in a short stretch of the year, and a unit that was already weak tends to show it right when you need it most.
Mercer County has also logged 47 damaging wind events and 18 hail events over the past ten years, with hail up to 3 inches. Wind drives debris into the outdoor unit and can rock it on its pad, and hail that size can bend the fins on the condenser coil or dent the cabinet. If your air feels weaker than it used to, or the outside unit looks banged up, that history is often why.
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 80°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 18 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 47 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 Mercer County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Mercer County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, West Virginia 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.
West Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license is held by the contractor's business, not issued per job. When the Commissioner of Labor licenses a contractor, that license stays with the company across every job it takes on, including a repair on your air conditioner.
For this job, the license covers who is allowed to run the business and take the work, but the refrigerant side has its own federal rule. Any technician who opens the sealed system to check or replace refrigerant has to hold EPA Section 608 certification, the same requirement that applies in every state. That certification is separate from the West Virginia license and covers the part of the repair the state license does not test for.
Source: West Virginia Legislature
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common reason is a dirty air filter cutting off airflow across the coil, which can cause it to ice up and blow warm air until it thaws. Low refrigerant from a leak is another common cause, and that needs a licensed contractor since only someone with EPA Section 608 certification can legally open the refrigerant side. A failing compressor can also do this. Check the filter first, then have a contractor look at it if that's not the problem.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Usually the condensate drain line is clogged, and water is backing up instead of draining outside. It can also mean the coil has iced over and is now melting and overflowing the drain pan, often caused by a dirty filter or low airflow. A cracked drain pan will leak too. Turn the unit off if water is pooling near it, since running it longer can lead to more water damage.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat. Check that it's set to cool and the temperature is below the room temperature, and check the batteries if it has a screen that's dim or blank. If the thermostat looks fine, check the breaker, since a tripped breaker will keep the whole unit from starting. If the breaker keeps tripping or the thermostat looks right and it still won't start, a contractor will need to look at it.