Repairs, replacements and tune-ups
Most cooling calls fall into one of three groups, and each has its own page.
Repairs. Something quit: the outdoor fan won't turn, the vents blow room-temperature air, or water is spreading across the basement floor. We find the cause, write down the price and fix it once you say yes. Most repairs are parts that wear out on a schedule, such as run capacitors, contactors, condenser fan motors and drain pumps. AC repair walks through each failure and what it costs.
Replacements. The compressor is gone, the coil leaks, or the system is old enough (and still on R-22) that fixing it is money poorly spent. We size the new system with a Manual J load calculation, match the indoor coil to the outdoor unit and pull the permit. AC installation covers sizing, SEER2 ratings and the newer refrigerants.
Tune-ups. A spring visit to clean the condenser coil, test the capacitor, check the charge and clear the drain. It finds the weak capacitor in April instead of on the first 90-degree Saturday. The checklist is on our maintenance page.
Should you repair or replace your air conditioner?
Nobody should replace a working system because a capacitor failed, and nobody should put a new compressor in a 20-year-old R-22 unit. Most decisions fall somewhere between, and four things settle them: the refrigerant on the nameplate, the size of the repair, the age of the equipment and how the house feels while it runs.
| Situation | What we usually recommend | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Failed capacitor, contactor or condenser fan motor | Repair | Wear parts, unrelated to the refrigerant |
| Plugged drain, failed condensate pump or tripped float switch | Repair | A cleaning or a pump, not an equipment problem |
| Leak at a valve or joint on an R-410A system | Repair the leak and recharge | R-410A systems can still be repaired and recharged |
| Any leak on an R-22 system | Price a replacement next to the repair | R-22 refills come only from reclaimed or stockpiled supply |
| Leaking indoor coil, out of warranty, on an older system | Usually replace | A typical national range for coil replacement is $2,500–$4,500, per HomeGuide |
| Failed compressor, out of warranty, on an older system | Usually replace | A typical national range is $1,800–$2,800, per HomeGuide |
| Upstairs never cools, or the house stays sticky | Check sizing and ductwork first | A same-size replacement repeats the problem |
Warranty status changes the math. For a compressor still under the manufacturer's parts warranty, HomeGuide's typical national range drops to $600–$1,200 (labor and refrigerant only), and a covered coil to $1,000–$2,500. Either way, you get the written repair price, and a replacement quote if you ask for one, so you're comparing two real numbers.
Check the refrigerant on the nameplate
The nameplate on the outdoor unit lists the refrigerant, and it changes the repair math.
- R-22. Production and import ended January 1, 2020. An R-22 system can keep running, but any refill has to come from reclaimed or stockpiled refrigerant, and national cost guides such as HomeGuide put that at $90–$150 per pound installed. A leak on an R-22 system usually tips us toward replacement. Our R-22 guide walks through the options.
- R-410A. The standard refrigerant in the years before 2025, and it is not banned. Existing R-410A systems can be repaired and recharged. On May 21, 2026, EPA removed the January 1, 2026 installation deadline, so R-410A equipment manufactured or imported before 2025 can still be installed.
- R-454B and R-32. Under the EPA Technology Transitions rule, residential air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured from 2025 on use lower-GWP refrigerants like these. They need an indoor coil built for them, so a new outdoor unit means a new coil.
Our technicians hold EPA Section 608 certification, which federal law requires for handling refrigerant.
How much does central air cost?
- Service call: a $79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair. The repair price is written and flat-rate before we start.
- AC tune-up: from $129, or $219 for the furnace and AC in one visit.
- Central AC replacement: $5,200–$9,800 installed, sized with a Manual J load calculation.
- Heat pump in place of an AC: $7,500–$14,500 installed.
- Ductless mini-split: $4,200–$12,500 installed.
- Warranty: a written 1-year parts-and-labor warranty on completed repairs, and a 2-year labor warranty on installs on top of the manufacturer's parts warranty.
Prices are the same in every town we serve, with nothing added for distance. The full list is on our pricing page, and the Minneapolis HVAC cost guide shows how those ranges apply to city houses. For what moves a replacement price up or down, read AC replacement cost in Minnesota. We take cash, check and credit cards, and financing is available on installs.
Cooling a Minnesota house
A short season that starts hard
An air conditioner here can sit idle from September to late May, then run for hours at a stretch through the first humid week of summer. Parts that were weak last August tend to quit right then.
Humidity matters as much as temperature. On a July day with the dew point in the 70s, much of what your AC does is pull water out of the air, and that only happens when it runs long enough for the indoor coil to stay cold and drip. An oversized unit cools fast, shuts off and leaves the house at 72 degrees and clammy. That's the usual result of sizing by copying the old nameplate.
Old houses, boilers and add-on air
Many 1920s–1950s houses in Minneapolis and Saint Paul got central air added to ductwork converted from gravity heat: the coil stacked on the furnace in a low basement, the condenser squeezed into a narrow side yard, and a story-and-a-half upstairs the ducts barely reach. Houses heated by boilers and radiators have no ducts at all, so cooling there usually means ductless mini-splits. Suburban split-levels and ramblers from the 1970s–90s often have returns sized for heating rather than cooling airflow, and newer two-story houses fight a hot upper floor.
Snow, cottonwood and your utility
- June: cottonwood fluff mats on the condenser fins like felt. With the power off at the disconnect, rinse the fins from the inside out with a garden hose. Skip the pressure washer; it flattens the fins.
- Hot afternoons: if you're enrolled in Xcel Energy's Saver's Switch or AC Rewards, the utility can cycle your AC or adjust your smart thermostat during peak events, which can look like a breakdown.
- Winter: keep condensers out from under the roof edge where snow and ice slide off, and read should you cover your AC in winter before you wrap one. A heat pump's outdoor unit runs all winter, so it needs snow and ice kept clear, especially through a January cold snap.
Electricity comes from Xcel Energy across much of the metro, and from co-ops such as Dakota Electric, Connexus Energy and Wright-Hennepin, or a city utility, in many other towns; in Wisconsin, Focus on Energy runs the statewide program. Cooling rebates change every year and some need a utility-registered contractor, so check your utility's current page and ask whether yours needs one. Dakota Electric, for example, lists an AC tune-up rebate open to any contractor and quality-installation rebates that need a registered one. We help with the paperwork where the program allows it. The federal 25C tax credit that used to cover central air ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Heat pumps, mini-splits and humidity control
When an AC needs replacing, price a heat pump before you sign. A heat pump is an air conditioner with a reversing valve: it cools in July the same way, then moves heat into the house in spring and fall. Paired with your gas furnace (dual fuel), it carries the mild days and the furnace takes over in real cold. Heat pumps covers how they handle a Minnesota January.
| Option | Needs ducts | Also heats | Installed with us | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioner | Yes | No | $5,200–$9,800 | Houses with a forced-air furnace and ducts |
| Ducted heat pump (often dual fuel) | Yes | Yes, with a furnace or electric backup for deep cold | $7,500–$14,500 | Replacing an AC, especially where the house heats with propane or electric resistance |
| Ductless mini-split | No | Yes, on heat pump models | $4,200–$12,500 | Radiator houses, additions, finished attics, three-season porches |
If the house stays sticky with a right-sized AC, check that the furnace fan is set to Auto, not On. Basements and lake homes that stay damp all summer may need a whole-home dehumidifier.
How does a cooling service call work?
- Call 612-429-3465 any day from 7am to 9pm, or send the form, and tell us what the system is doing.
- The technician checks the simple things first: thermostat, breaker, disconnect and filter.
- Then the outdoor unit (capacitor, contactor, fan and compressor draw), the refrigerant readings, and the indoor coil and drain.
- You get one written, flat-rate price. Approve it and the $79 trip charge is waived.
- If replacement makes more sense, we say so and quote it from a Manual J load calculation, so you can compare.
Where we work
Central Minnesota Heating and Cooling has been in business since 2009 and has 870+ Google reviews at 4.9 stars. We cover Minneapolis, Saint Paul and about 50 miles around, 104 towns in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, and we're licensed in both states and insured. Town pages cover the local housing and utilities, including AC repair in Minneapolis, AC repair in Saint Paul and AC installation in Edina. We service every major brand, from Carrier and Trane to Goodman, Rheem and York.
What's included with cooling & central air?
- $79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair
- Written flat-rate price before any work starts
- Refrigerant work by EPA Section 608 certified technicians
- Written 1-year parts-and-labor warranty on completed repairs
- Manual J load calculation on every replacement quote
- 2-year labor warranty on installs, on top of the manufacturer's parts warranty
- The same prices in every town we serve, with nothing added for distance
Cooling & Central Air questions
How much does central air service cost?
A service call is a $79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair, and the repair price is written and flat-rate before we start. An AC tune-up is from $129, or $219 with the furnace in the same visit. A new central AC runs $5,200–$9,800 installed, a heat pump $7,500–$14,500 and a ductless mini-split $4,200–$12,500. Those prices are the same in every town we serve.
How often should central air be serviced?
Once a year, in spring, before the first hot week. An AC tune-up starts at $129, or $219 when we do the furnace and AC in the same visit. We clean the condenser coil, test the capacitor and electrical connections, check the refrigerant charge, flush the condensate drain and look at the filter. A weak capacitor found in April becomes a planned fix instead of a July breakdown. Ask us about a maintenance plan.
Why does my house feel sticky even when the AC is running?
Often the system is oversized, so it cools the air fast and shuts off before the indoor coil pulls much water out. A furnace fan set to On instead of Auto makes it worse, because it blows the water on the coil back into the house. Low refrigerant and dirty coils cut moisture removal too. Right-sizing, a two-stage or variable-speed system, or a whole-home dehumidifier fixes it.
Can a heat pump replace my central air?
Yes. A heat pump cools exactly like an air conditioner and can also run in reverse to heat. If your AC is due for replacement, a cold-climate heat pump can take its place and share the heating with your gas furnace, which is called dual fuel. Heat pumps run $7,500–$14,500 installed with us. We can quote both so you can compare them side by side.
Can a house with radiators and no ducts get air conditioning?
Yes. Boiler houses usually get ductless mini-splits: a wall-mounted head in each area and one or more outdoor units, connected by a small line set through the wall. Heat pump models can also heat in spring and fall while the boiler carries the winter. Ductless runs $4,200–$12,500 installed with us, and where you land depends mostly on how many rooms you want covered.
What refrigerant does my AC use, and does it matter?
Check the nameplate on the outdoor unit. An R-22 system can only be refilled with reclaimed or stockpiled refrigerant, which is expensive, so a leak usually points to replacement. R-410A is not banned: those systems can be repaired and recharged, and R-410A equipment manufactured or imported before 2025 can still be installed. New systems manufactured from 2025 on use R-454B or R-32 and need a matching indoor coil.
Do you charge more for towns farther out?
No. The $79 trip charge, the tune-up prices and the installed price ranges are the same in Minneapolis, Monticello, Red Wing or Hudson, Wisconsin, with nothing added for distance. We cover Minneapolis, Saint Paul and about 50 miles around, 104 towns in all, and we're open 7 days a week from 7am to 9pm.
Should I cover my air conditioner in winter?
Only the top, if at all. A top-only cover or a piece of plywood keeps icicles and leaves out of the fan. Don't wrap the whole unit in plastic; it traps moisture and gives mice a winter home. Take the cover off before you run the AC in spring. A heat pump is different: it runs all winter, so never cover it, and keep the snow cleared around it.
Sources
- HomeGuide cost guides (2026 editions) homeguide.com
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency epa.gov