Air Conditioning Repair
in Vancouver WA
A failed air conditioner in a Pacific Northwest heat event is not a comfort problem, it is a health one — particularly for older adults, infants, and anyone with a respiratory condition. Tri-Tech repairs all makes and models across Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania Counties and the Portland metro area, and we treat a no-cooling call during a heat advisory as urgent. Our AC repair service covers all makes, and if your system needs routine AC service instead of a repair, see HVAC maintenance.
Need AC repair? Call (360) 891-2002, Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. After hours, call the same number to reach our answering service.
What we see most often
- Blowing, but warm. Low refrigerant from a leak, a failed capacitor, or a compressor that is no longer starting.
- Not starting at all. A tripped breaker, a failed contactor, or a condensate safety switch that has done its job.
- Water where it shouldn't be. A blocked condensate drain. Left alone this reaches drywall and framing.
- Frost or ice on the lines. Some frost is normal. A heat pump's outdoor unit frosts over in cold, damp weather and clears itself during the defrost cycle, and the larger copper line on an air conditioner runs cold and can sweat. Thick ice building up on the refrigerant lines or indoor coil in summer is not normal. Turn the system off, set the fan to On to thaw it, and call us. It usually means an airflow or refrigerant problem, and running it frozen can damage the compressor.
- Cooling, but the house never gets there. Often duct losses rather than the equipment.
On refrigerant
New systems now use R-454B, and R-410A is being phased down. That has pushed the cost of servicing older systems up and made some repairs less sensible than they were two years ago. If your system runs R-410A and needs significant refrigerant work, we will walk you through both options before you decide.
Why Tri-Tech
- Family-owned and serving Vancouver since 1993
- N.A.T.E.-certified technicians
- All makes and models repaired
- Our work is 100% guaranteed
- Serving Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania Counties and the Portland metro area
- 2-year labor warranty on new installations, and 1-year labor warranty on repairs
Is your air conditioner acting up?
Contact Tri-Tech Heating, Inc. to schedule repair or annual service.
Our office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm, and a call to (360) 891-2002 during those hours reaches a person. After hours, call the same number and a live person from our answering service will take your information. They'll text our on-call technician right away, or, if you'd rather wait, pass your request to our office and we'll respond by 9:00am the next business day. Licensed HVAC #TRITEHI952LL, CCB #161426.
Frost or ice on the unit
This one is worth answering directly, because the honest answer saves some people a service call.
A light frost on the refrigerant lines can be normal, particularly on a hot day or right after the system has been running hard. It needs a technician when any of these are true:
- Heavy ice on the lines, or ice on the indoor coil
- Ice that does not melt after the system has been off for a few hours
- The air conditioner is running but blowing warm air
In those cases turn the air conditioner off and call. Running a frozen system keeps the ice growing and can damage the compressor, which turns a service call into a replacement. Low refrigerant, restricted airflow and a failed part all look identical from the outside, so we are not going to tell you which it is over the phone.
How an AC repair visit runs
- What you tell us. Not cooling, not running at all, running constantly, icing, tripping the breaker, or a noise — each points somewhere different.
- Diagnosis on site. Pressures, temperature split, airflow, electrical and controls get tested rather than assumed.
- What we found, before we fix it. You hear what failed and what it takes to put right before work starts.
- Repair and verify. The system is run and measured after the repair to confirm it is actually cooling, not just running.
What to check before you call
- Thermostat batteries, and that it is set to Cool with the setpoint below room temperature
- Both breakers — many systems have one for the indoor unit and one for the outdoor unit
- The filter. A blocked filter is the single most common cause of an iced coil.
- The outdoor unit itself: leaves, cottonwood, grass clippings or a fence built too close all choke airflow
Past that, stop. Do not add refrigerant, open the electrical compartment or run a system that is iced up.
For a fuller walkthrough, see AC not working: what to check before you call.
Related work
If the system is past repairing, see air conditioning installation. A heat pump does both heating and cooling — see heat pump installation or ductless mini-splits for rooms that have never been comfortable. If the cooling is fine but rooms are uneven, the answer is usually ductwork.
Where we work
Vancouver, Salmon Creek and Camas, and across Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania Counties and the Portland metro area — including Woodland, Kalama, Longview, Battle Ground, Hockinson and Ridgefield. If you are just outside that, call and ask; the office will tell you straight.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
- HVAC license #TRITEHI952LL
- CCB license #161426
- N.A.T.E. certified technicians
- Licensed and insured
- We guarantee our work 100%
- Financing available through Synchrony, subject to application. Apply online.
If a replacement makes more sense than a repair, rebates and financing can bring the cost down. See active rebate programs.
AC repair questions we get
Do you charge for an estimate on a repair?
Free estimates are on new equipment and installations. A repair means a technician has to come out and diagnose it, which is a service call rather than a free estimate.
My system needs refrigerant every year. Is that normal?
No. Refrigerant is a sealed system — it does not get used up. A system that needs topping up annually has a leak, and repeatedly adding refrigerant treats the symptom while the cost adds up.
Why is one room always warmer than the rest?
Usually distribution rather than capacity. Duct sizing, leakage, register placement and return air all cause it, and adding a bigger air conditioner does not fix any of them.
Should I cover the outdoor unit in winter?
A full wrap traps moisture and gives rodents somewhere to nest. Keeping it clear of leaves and debris does more good than covering it.
Can you come out after hours?
Emergency service is answered 24/7 on the same number.
Get your cooling back
Call (360) 891-2002. The office is open Monday to Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. Emergency service is answered 24/7 on the same number. You can also send us your details and we will call you back.