Nobody budgets for an air conditioner failure, and the first question every Winston-Salem homeowner asks us is the same: what is this going to cost? Here are real-world price ranges for the repairs we perform most often in the Triad, including parts and labor.

Common Repairs and What They Run

Capacitor replacement ($150–$350). The single most common summer failure. Capacitors weaken in sustained heat, and a weak one strains your compressor. This is a fast, inexpensive fix — be wary of anyone quoting far above this range.

Contactor replacement ($150–$300). The contactor is the relay that powers your outdoor unit. Pitted or welded contacts are common after years of heavy summer cycling.

Condenser fan motor ($300–$600). When the outdoor fan stops, the compressor overheats and shuts down on safety. Motors usually last 8–12 years in our climate.

Refrigerant leak repair and recharge ($400–$1,500+). The wide range reflects the real variable: finding and fixing the leak. Topping off refrigerant without repairing the leak is money thrown away — the system will be low again in weeks.

Compressor replacement ($1,200–$2,500). The heart of the system, and the repair where replacement of the whole unit starts making sense — especially on systems over 10 years old.

How to Spot a Padded Quote

A fair quote is flat-rate and written before work begins. Red flags include hourly billing with no ceiling, "diagnostic fees" that balloon, and pressure to decide immediately on a full replacement without a clear explanation of what failed. A trustworthy technician will show you the failed part and explain the repair in plain language.

The Repair-vs-Replace Line

Our rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than half the price of a new system — or the unit is past 12–15 years with a major component failure — replacement usually wins the math. Add in that older R-22 systems face refrigerant that gets scarcer and more expensive every year, and the honest answer sometimes is a new system. We will always show you both sets of numbers and let you decide.