The short answer
A repair bill has three parts: the part, the technician's time, and a call-out fee for the visit. Small electrical parts cost little, so most of the bill is labor. Big parts like a compressor or a coil cost much more, and the question becomes whether to repair at all.
In plain English: a capacitor, contactor, igniter or sensor is usually a few hundred dollars. A motor or a board is several hundred. A compressor, coil or heat exchanger can be thousands. Nights and weekends cost more, and a warranty takes the part off but not the labor.
A worked example, start to finish
Say your central air conditioner hums outside but the fan will not start. The technician finds a dead run capacitor. (A capacitor is a small can-shaped part that gives the motors a kick to start.) It is a weekday, the unit is out of warranty, and you pay a call-out fee. These are the calculator's default settings, so you can check every number.
- The part: $15 to $80 (HomeGuide). A common 45/5 capacitor is $26.97 at Home Depot.
- Labor: the installed price minus the part. That is $100 − $15 = $85 at the low end, and $250 − $80 = $170 at the high end.
- Call-out fee: $75–$200.
- Total: $15 + $85 + $75 = $175 at the low end, and $80 + $170 + $200 = $450 at the high end.
- The middle of that range is $313. That middle figure is our own midpoint, not a number any publisher printed.
A harder case. The compressor fails on a Saturday in Seattle, and it is still under the maker's parts warranty. The warranty pays for the compressor, but not the labor. HomeGuide prints that labor at $600 at the low end and $1,200 at the high end. Seattle HVAC technicians earn about 1.319 times the national average, and the calculator prices after-hours labor at 1.4 to 2 times normal (HomeGuide's $210 ÷ $150 emergency-to-normal furnace rate, and Angi's “up to twice”). So the labor is $600 × 1.319 × 1.4 = $1,108 at the low end, and $1,200 × 1.319 × 2 = $3,166 at the high end. With the call-out fee, the bill is $1,246 to $3,693 even with the part free.
repair = part + labor × metro × after-hours + call-out × metro × after-hours
part = 0 when a warranty covers it
What common repairs cost
Parts and labor for a weekday visit, national average, before the call-out fee.
Central air conditioner
| Repair | What you notice | Parts and labor |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor | The outdoor unit hums or clicks, but the fan or compressor will not start. | $100–$250 |
| Contactor | The outdoor unit will not switch on, or will not switch off, when the thermostat calls. | $200–$450 |
| Condenser fan motor | The big fan on top of the outdoor unit does not spin, or it squeals. | $200–$700 |
| Blower motor (indoor fan) | The system runs but little or no air comes out of the vents. | $300–$900 |
| Control board (AC or air handler) | Nothing responds, or error lights blink on the board. | $150–$700 |
| Thermostat replacement | The screen is blank, the settings will not hold, or the system ignores it. | $140–$350 |
| Refrigerant leak: find, fix and recharge | It runs but blows warm air, ice forms on the copper lines, or you hear hissing. | $200–$1,500 |
| Refrigerant recharge only | Topping up refrigerant without fixing a leak. A sealed system should never need this. | $100–$600 |
| Evaporator coil | A leak in the indoor coil above the furnace or in the air handler. | $1,000–$4,500 |
| Compressor | The outdoor fan spins but nothing cools, or the breaker trips when it starts. | $600–$2,500 |
Gas furnace
| Repair | What you notice | Parts and labor |
|---|---|---|
| Blower motor (indoor fan) | The system runs but little or no air comes out of the vents. | $300–$900 |
| Thermostat replacement | The screen is blank, the settings will not hold, or the system ignores it. | $140–$350 |
| Igniter | The furnace clicks and the inducer runs, but the burners never light. | $100–$250 |
| Flame sensor | The burners light for a few seconds and then shut off. | $80–$250 |
| Limit switch or fan relay | The blower runs all the time, or the furnace shuts down when it gets hot. | $100–$375 |
| Draft inducer motor | A loud hum or rattle at startup, and the furnace will not light. | $400–$1,100 |
| Furnace control board | No heat, no fan, or a blinking error code that points to the board. | $300–$650 |
| Gas valve | The igniter glows but no gas reaches the burners. | $200–$800 |
| Heat exchanger | A technician found a crack, often with soot or a carbon monoxide alarm. | $1,000–$3,000 |
Heat pump
| Repair | What you notice | Parts and labor |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor | The outdoor unit hums or clicks, but the fan or compressor will not start. | $100–$250 |
| Contactor | The outdoor unit will not switch on, or will not switch off, when the thermostat calls. | $200–$450 |
| Condenser fan motor | The big fan on top of the outdoor unit does not spin, or it squeals. | $200–$700 |
| Blower motor (indoor fan) | The system runs but little or no air comes out of the vents. | $300–$900 |
| Control board (AC or air handler) | Nothing responds, or error lights blink on the board. | $150–$700 |
| Thermostat replacement | The screen is blank, the settings will not hold, or the system ignores it. | $140–$350 |
| Refrigerant leak: find, fix and recharge | It runs but blows warm air, ice forms on the copper lines, or you hear hissing. | $200–$1,500 |
| Refrigerant recharge only | Topping up refrigerant without fixing a leak. A sealed system should never need this. | $100–$600 |
| Evaporator coil | A leak in the indoor coil above the furnace or in the air handler. | $1,000–$4,500 |
| Compressor | The outdoor fan spins but nothing cools, or the breaker trips when it starts. | $600–$2,500 |
| Reversing valve | The heat pump heats but will not cool, or cools but will not heat. | $200–$650 |
| Defrost control board | Thick ice builds up on the outdoor unit in winter and does not melt off. | $200–$650 |
Ductless mini-split
| Repair | What you notice | Parts and labor |
|---|---|---|
| Ductless mini-split repair (any common fault) | A wall head that will not cool or heat, leaks water, or shows an error code. | $100–$1,500 |
AC and shared parts are HomeGuide's figures, furnace parts are HomeGuide's, and the heat-pump-only parts are Angi's and HomeAdvisor's. Each repair was listed only if at least two publishers price it. The calculator shows the other publishers' figures beside your result.
Why the same repair costs more in some cities
The part costs about the same everywhere. The technician's time does not. In Seattle, HVAC technicians earn about 32% more than the national average. In some smaller metros they earn less. The calculator uses federal wage data (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025) to move the labor and call-out fee for your metro, and leaves the part alone.
Repair or replace?
Angi says that if a system is less than 10 years old and repairs are rare, fixing it is the best choice. HomeGuide lists signs it may be time to replace instead: the system is over 10 years old, uses R-22, needs frequent repairs, or the repair costs at least half the price of a new one. Once you have a quote, the repair-or-replace calculator weighs it against your system's age and the price of a new one. To price the new system, use the HVAC installation cost calculator, the furnace and AC replacement cost calculator or the central air installation cost calculator.
What a fair quote includes
- The name of the failed part, and why the technician thinks it failed.
- The part price and the labor price on separate lines.
- Whether the call-out fee comes off the bill if you go ahead.
- Whether the part is under the maker's warranty. Ask them to check the serial number.
- For a refrigerant job: where the leak is, how it will be fixed, and how many pounds go in.
- How long the repair itself is guaranteed for.
HomeGuide warns against companies that quote a repair over the phone without seeing the system. A recharge with no leak repair is a warning sign too: a sealed system does not use up refrigerant.
Warranty basics
A maker's warranty usually pays for the part, not the technician's time. HomeGuide says most furnace warranties cover parts for 5 to 10 years. Angi and Fixr both say labor is often left to you. That is why a “free” compressor can still cost over a thousand dollars. For some repairs, no publisher prints the part price on its own. The calculator does not guess one, so the warranty option does not change those prices.
Where the publishers disagree
- Heat exchanger: HomeGuide prints $1,000 to $3,000 to replace it. Angi prints a lower $500 to $1,500. The calculator uses HomeGuide's.
- Reversing valve: Angi prints $200 to $650. Fixr prints a higher $350 to $700. The calculator uses Angi's.
- Compressor: HomeGuide's table says $600 to $2,500, but its own text says $1,800 to $2,800 out of warranty. Angi prints $800 to $3,000. The calculator uses the table.
- Capacitor: HomeGuide's table and Angi both print $100 to $250. HomeGuide's own text runs higher: $250 at the low end and $400 at the high end. The calculator uses the table.
- Contactor: HomeGuide prices it on its own. The only other figure we could read is Angi's combined capacitor-and-contactor band for heat pumps.
- Refrigerant by the pound: Angi prints R-410A at $12 to $25 a pound; HomeGuide prints $50 to $80 a pound installed. Only one publisher prices the newer R-454B. So the calculator prices leak and recharge jobs as whole jobs, not by the pound.
- After-hours pricing: HomeGuide's rates give 1.4 at the top of the range ($210 an hour for emergency furnace work ÷ $150 normal). Angi says up to twice; Fixr says 2 to 3 times. The calculator uses 1.4 (HomeGuide) at the low end and 2 (Angi) at the high end.
Methodology
- All cost figures are US national and come from the sources below, each read on 17 October 2026. The cost guides are secondary sources, dated from August 2025 (HomeGuide) to October 2026 (Angi).
- Low and high come from the published bands. “Typical” is the midpoint of the two and is our own figure.
- Parts and labor are split using the publisher's own part-only or labor-only figure. Where no publisher prints one, the split assumes half is labor (Angi: labor can be as much as 50% of the bill). That split only moves the metro and after-hours adjustments.
- The metro option uses what HVAC technicians earn in that metro compared with the national average (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-9021). It moves labor and the call-out fee only. It is the same wage data the site's HVAC replacement pages use.
- Not priced: refrigerant by the pound or by type, system size, and duct repairs. Ductless mini-splits get one band, because no publisher we read prices their parts one by one.
Sources
- HomeGuide — How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (Kristen Cramer, 22 Aug 2025; secondary cost guide). https://homeguide.com/costs/ac-repair-cost Read 2026-10-17.
- HomeGuide — How Much Does Furnace Repair Cost? (Sarah Noel, 27 Aug 2025; secondary cost guide). https://homeguide.com/costs/furnace-repair-service-cost Read 2026-10-17.
- Angi — How Much Does the Average Furnace Repair Cost? [2026 Data] (Paige Bennett, updated 25 Sep 2026; secondary). https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-common-furnace-repair-cost.htm Read 2026-10-17.
- Angi — How Much Do HVAC Repairs Cost? (Mitchell Grant, updated 4 Aug 2026; secondary). https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-hvac-repair-cost.htm Read 2026-10-17.
- Angi — Heat Pump Repair Cost [2026 Data] (Gemma Johnstone, updated 8 Oct 2026; secondary). https://www.angi.com/articles/heat-pump-repair-cost.htm Read 2026-10-17.
- Angi — How Much Does AC Recharge Cost? [2026 Data] (Elisa Greenberg, updated 12 Oct 2026; secondary). https://www.angi.com/articles/home-ac-recharge-cost.htm Read 2026-10-17.
- HomeAdvisor — How Much Does Heat Pump Repair Cost? (updated 19 Jun 2026; secondary). https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/heating-and-cooling/repair-a-heat-pump/ Read 2026-10-17.
- Fixr — How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (Dan Simms, updated 29 Jan 2026; secondary). https://www.fixr.com/costs/air-conditioner-repair Read 2026-10-17.
- Fixr — How Much Does Heat Pump Repair Cost? (Dan Simms, updated 21 Jan 2026; secondary). https://www.fixr.com/costs/heat-pump-repair Read 2026-10-17.
- U.S. EPA — Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons (existing systems may still be repaired). https://www.epa.gov/hfcs/frequent-questions-phasedown-hydrofluorocarbons Read 2026-10-17.
- The Home Depot — TITAN HD 45+5 MFD 440/370-Volt dual run capacitor (PRCFD455A), $26.97. https://www.homedepot.com/p/TITAN-HD-45-Plus-5-MFD-440-Volt-370-Volt-Dual-Voltage-Round-Run-Capacitor-PRCFD455A/336140758 Read 2026-10-17.
- The Home Depot — Packard 2-pole 30 amp 24 VAC contactor (C230A), $14.78. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Packard-2-Pole-30-Amp-24-VAC-Contactor-C230A/336155061 Read 2026-10-17.
- The Home Depot — Honeywell Home T3 5-2 day programmable thermostat (RTH6360), $64.95. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Home-T3-5-2-Day-Programmable-Thermostat-with-2H-2C-Multistage-Heating-and-Cooling-RTH6360/301888511 Read 2026-10-17.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers), as stored in the site's metro wage table. https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
Related calculators
Pricing a new system instead? Use the HVAC installation cost calculator or the furnace and AC replacement cost calculator. A new ductless system is priced on the mini-split installation cost calculator.
Methodology & sources
The cost figures on this page are generated from a single, sourced cost-data file (One repair on a home central air conditioner, gas furnace, heat pump or ductless mini-split in the United States, priced as parts plus labor for a weekday visit, out of warranty, with the diagnostic call-out fee shown separately. Bands are HomeGuide's AC and furnace repair figures (August 2025) and Angi's heat pump figures (October 2026), read 17 October 2026 and cross-checked against Angi, HomeAdvisor and Fixr (January-October 2026). The metro option applies BLS wage data for HVAC mechanics to the labor part only.). Most HVAC repairs cost a few hundred dollars: HomeGuide puts the average AC repair at $150-$650 and Angi the average furnace repair at $133-$505. Small electrical parts such as a capacitor or contactor sit at the bottom; a compressor or evaporator coil can run into the thousands, which is where repair-or-replace becomes the real question. Last verified October 2026.
- HomeGuide — How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (Kristen Cramer, 22 Aug 2025; secondary cost guide) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- HomeGuide — How Much Does Furnace Repair Cost? (Sarah Noel, 27 Aug 2025; secondary cost guide) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Angi — How Much Does the Average Furnace Repair Cost? [2026 Data] (Paige Bennett, updated 25 Sep 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Angi — How Much Do HVAC Repairs Cost? (Mitchell Grant, updated 4 Aug 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Angi — Heat Pump Repair Cost [2026 Data] (Gemma Johnstone, updated 8 Oct 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Angi — How Much Does AC Recharge Cost? [2026 Data] (Elisa Greenberg, updated 12 Oct 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- HomeAdvisor — How Much Does Heat Pump Repair Cost? (updated 19 Jun 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Fixr — How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (Dan Simms, updated 29 Jan 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- Fixr — How Much Does Heat Pump Repair Cost? (Dan Simms, updated 21 Jan 2026; secondary) — retrieved 2026-10-17
- U.S. EPA — Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons (existing systems may still be repaired) — retrieved 2026-10-17
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace an AC capacitor?
HomeGuide's cost table and Angi both put a capacitor replacement at $100–$250 for the part and labor; HomeGuide's own text runs higher, up to $400. Add a call-out fee of $75–$200 and a weekday visit comes to $175–$450, with $313 as the middle of that range. The part itself is only about $15 to $80.
How much does a typical HVAC repair cost?
Most repairs cost a few hundred dollars. HomeGuide puts the average AC repair at $150 to $650, and Angi puts the average furnace repair at $133 to $505, and heat pump repairs a little higher. A compressor or coil can cost several thousand.
How much does it cost to fix a furnace that will not light?
It depends on the part. A new igniter is $100–$250 and a flame sensor $80–$250 (HomeGuide). A gas valve is $200–$800 and a control board $300–$650. A technician's call-out fee is usually extra.
How much does a refrigerant leak repair cost?
Finding and fixing a leak, then refilling the refrigerant, costs $200–$1,500 (HomeGuide; Angi and Fixr print similar bands). A recharge without fixing the leak is $100–$600, but the refrigerant will leak out again.
Does the warranty cover HVAC repairs?
A maker's warranty usually pays for the part, not the labor. HomeGuide says most furnace warranties cover parts for 5 to 10 years but not labor. For a compressor under warranty, HomeGuide's labor-only figure starts at $600, plus the call-out fee.
Do HVAC technicians charge more at night or on weekends?
Yes. HomeGuide's top normal rate is $150 an hour, and its top rate for emergency furnace work is $210. Angi says an emergency visit can cost up to twice as much, and Fixr says 2 to 3 times the normal hourly rate. The calculator raises labor 1.4 to 2 times: $210 divided by $150 is 1.4, and Angi's "up to twice" is 2. The part costs the same.
Should I repair or replace my AC or furnace?
Angi says that if a system is less than 10 years old and repairs are rare, fixing it is the best choice. HomeGuide lists signs it may be time to replace: the system is over 10 years old, uses R-22, needs frequent repairs, or the repair costs at least half the price of a new one. Our repair-or-replace guide works through these rules with your own quote.