AC Repair in Kennesaw, GA

Most air conditioning repair calls in Kennesaw start the same way: the thermostat says 74, the house says 81, and the number is climbing. The cause is usually one of a short list of parts that wear out in a long Georgia cooling season. Technicians dispatched by Hooten Air Pros most often see:

• AC blowing warm air while the indoor fan runs normally
• Outdoor unit humming but the fan will not spin, or not running at all
• Water around the attic air handler, a stained ceiling, or a system that shut itself off
• Ice on the copper lines or on the indoor coil
• Short cycling, where the system starts and stops every few minutes
• Clicking, buzzing, grinding or squealing from either unit

If you want to rule out the easy causes before calling, our guide to safe checks when your AC is not cooling walks through the thermostat, filter and drain checks that do not require opening any equipment.

When the AC is blowing warm air, the problem usually sits in the outdoor condenser, where the electrical parts take the hardest beating.

Run capacitors

The capacitor gives the compressor and outdoor fan motor the electrical push they need to start and run. Heat breaks it down over time. A weak one lets the fan stall while the compressor overheats and shuts off. A technician measures it against its rated value, and capacitor replacement is one of the most common AC service calls in the metro area. Many fail without bulging or leaking.

Contactors

The contactor is the switch that turns the outdoor unit on when the thermostat calls for cooling. Its contact points pit and burn with use, and ants like to nest inside. A worn contactor can leave the condenser dead, or running nonstop after the thermostat is satisfied.

Condenser fan motors

The fan on top of the outdoor unit throws off the heat removed from your house. If its bearings wear out, the fan slows or stops, pressure climbs, and the system trips off or delivers lukewarm air. Pollen packed into the coil fins makes it worse.

Compressors

The compressor is the heart of the system. One that will not start may only need a new capacitor or a hard-start device. One with a shorted winding needs replacement, and on an older system that opens the conversation about replacing the AC instead.

In a typical Kennesaw two-story home, the upstairs system lives in the attic. That air handler pulls gallons of water out of humid summer air, and all of it leaves through a small PVC drain line.

How a clogged condensate drain happens

Algae and slime grow inside the warm, wet line. Add dust and pollen that slip past the filter, and it narrows until it backs up. Lines with too little slope clog faster.

What the float switch does

Most attic systems have a secondary pan and a float switch, sometimes called a wet switch. When water rises, it cuts power to the cooling side so the pan does not overflow into your ceiling. That is why a clogged condensate drain often shows up as an AC that simply stopped, with the thermostat still on and the indoor fan quiet.

What the repair involves

The technician clears and flushes the line, checks the trap and slope, confirms the float switch works, and inspects the primary pan for rust or cracks.

Ice on the copper line or around the indoor coil means the coil is running too cold. A frozen evaporator coil has two common causes: not enough air moving across it, or not enough refrigerant in the system.

Airflow causes

A clogged filter, blocked return grilles, a dirty coil or a failing blower motor starve the coil of warm air. It drops below freezing and ice builds until airflow nearly stops.

Refrigerant leak repair

Refrigerant does not get used up. If the charge is low, it leaked. Common leak points include corroded evaporator coils, rubbing line sets and service valve cores. A technician finds the leak with an electronic detector, bubble solution or a nitrogen pressure test, then explains whether it can be repaired. Topping off a leaking system only delays the problem.

Which refrigerant your system uses matters

• R-22 systems are mostly from before about 2010. U.S. production and import ended on January 1, 2020, so only costly reclaimed supply remains.
• R-410A covers most equipment installed through 2024 and remains fully serviceable.
• R-454B and R-32 are the new generation. Since January 1, 2025, new split systems have been moving to these lower-GWP refrigerants under the EPA AIM Act rules.

Only EPA Section 608 certified technicians may handle refrigerant.

Kennesaw summers average highs in the upper 80s with heavy humidity. A system that limped through June often gives out when it has to run all day in July. Three local factors stack up:

1. Equipment age. The median Kennesaw home was built in 1998, and nearly a third went up between 2000 and 2009. Many still run the original builder-grade system or an early replacement. Central air conditioners here typically last 12 to 15 years or a bit more.
2. Attic heat. The upstairs air handler, ducts and drain line sit in an attic far hotter than the outdoor air, so motors, capacitors and wiring age faster.
3. Humidity and pollen. Moisture keeps drain lines working overtime, and spring pollen clogs filters and coils just before summer.

The same pattern shows up next door. Homes in Acworth's 2000s subdivisions and the two-system houses in Woodstock and Towne Lake see the same July failures. Regular spring maintenance catches weak capacitors and dirty coils before the heat finds them.

Every air conditioning repair call covers the same core work, whether the problem turns out to be a five-minute part or a refrigerant leak.

• A full diagnosis, not a guess. Thermostat and wiring, both breakers, the outdoor capacitor and contactor, fan and blower motors, refrigerant pressures and temperatures, airflow across the indoor coil, and the condensate drain and float switch.
• A written explanation and price. What failed, why it failed, and what it costs to fix, before any work starts. If there is more than one reasonable option, you see each one.
• Common parts on the first visit. Technicians usually carry capacitors, contactors, fuses and drain-cleaning gear, so the most frequent July repairs are often finished the same visit.
• A performance check after the repair. The technician confirms the system cools, drains and cycles normally before leaving, and clears away old parts and debris.

What may need a second trip

Compressors, coils, some fan motors and model-specific control boards are not carried on a truck and may need to be ordered. Refrigerant for older R-22 systems is limited to reclaimed supply. When a part has to be ordered, you hear that up front along with the expected wait.

Here is how an air conditioning repair call works when you reach Hooten Air Pros.

1. You call (321) 478-0693. A person answers at any hour and asks what the system is doing.
2. Dispatch. We send the nearest available licensed technician and give you an arrival window when you call.
3. Diagnosis. The technician checks the thermostat, filter, electrical parts, refrigerant pressures, airflow and the condensate drain. Good diagnosis measures; it does not guess.
4. Explanation and price. You hear what failed and your options, with the price before work starts.
5. Repair and test. The technician confirms the system is cooling, draining and cycling normally.

After dark or on a weekend, see our 24/7 emergency HVAC repair page. We cover all of Kennesaw plus Marietta, East Cobb and West Cobb and the rest of our service areas around Kennesaw.

A failed capacitor on a ten-year-old system is a routine fix, and the unit may have years left. The decision gets harder as the system ages and repairs get bigger. Questions to weigh with your technician:

• How old is the system? Past the 12 to 15-year mark in Georgia, every major repair buys less remaining life.
• What failed? A compressor or an indoor coil is a large repair. A fan motor or capacitor is not.
• What refrigerant does it use? An R-22 system with a leak is a hard case, because recharging depends on scarce reclaimed supply.
• How has it been running? Rising bills and repeated breakdowns point toward replacement.

Our article on whether to repair or replace an old AC covers the R-22 and R-410A question in detail. You get the facts and decide.

Every repair is priced on the actual job, after diagnosis and before work starts. What moves the number:

• The part. A capacitor or contactor is a small repair. A blower motor, condenser fan motor, evaporator coil or compressor is a much larger one.
• Refrigerant type and amount. R-22 is scarce and expensive. R-410A is widely available. Leak searches and repairs add labor before any recharge.
• Access. An attic air handler over a narrow scuttle hole in August takes more time and care than a unit in a garage.
• Timing. Nights, weekends and holidays can carry after-hours rates. You hear about that before anyone is dispatched.
• Warranty status. Some parts may still have manufacturer coverage.

For a deeper look at the factors behind a repair bill, read what drives AC repair cost in Kennesaw.