AC Repair in Parkersburg, WV
Air conditioners here run from June through September. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Wood County will get in touch.
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It takes about a minute.
Four months of hard running, then storms on top of it
Your air conditioner works a short, hard season in Wood County. June through September, with summer afternoons averaging 84°F, it runs long hours to keep up. The compressor and the capacitor that starts it take the brunt of that load, and a capacitor that has weakened over a season or two often gives out on the hottest afternoons, when the unit is running the most.
Wood County has also seen 91 damaging wind events and 26 hail storms over the last ten years, with hail up to 2.75 inches. The outdoor unit sits outside through all of that. Wind-blown debris and hail can bend the thin aluminum fins on the outdoor coil, and a bent-up coil makes it harder for the unit to shed heat, so the house cools slower even though the system is running.
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 84°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 26 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 91 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 Wood County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Wood 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.
West Virginia tests contractors before they get that license, and the Commissioner of Labor keeps a record of who holds one. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so it covers the business doing the work rather than the repair itself.
For an air conditioner repair, that state license is what stands behind the person working on your system. If the job involves opening the refrigerant side of the unit, the technician also has to hold EPA Section 608 certification, which is a federal rule that applies no matter what state you're in.
Source: West Virginia Legislature
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common cause is a dirty air filter choking off airflow, followed by low refrigerant from a leak. A frozen evaporator coil will also push out warm or weak air, and it usually freezes because airflow was already restricted. If you've checked the filter and the air is still warm, the system needs a licensed contractor to check refrigerant levels and inspect the coil, since opening the refrigerant side legally requires EPA 608 certification.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Most water around an AC comes from a clogged condensate drain line. Algae and dust build up inside the line over a cooling season and block the path the water normally takes outside. A frozen coil that then thaws can also flood the drain pan faster than it can drain. Either way, a contractor can clear the line or find the actual source rather than guessing at it.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat and the breaker before assuming the worst. A dead thermostat battery, a tripped breaker, or a blown fuse at the outdoor unit will all stop the system cold with no other symptoms. If power is reaching the unit and it still won't start, the capacitor or contactor inside the outdoor unit may have failed, and that's a job for a licensed contractor to diagnose safely.