First, keep everyone safe
- If the house is getting dangerously hot, move people and pets somewhere cool first, especially babies, older people and anyone who is ill.
- A burning smell, smoke, sparks or a breaker that trips again after a reset: turn the system off at the thermostat and the breaker, and call a professional.
- Water coming through a ceiling or pooling on the floor: turn the system off to stop the leak.
Check these before you call
A few quick, safe checks find the simple causes. The full list is in the AC not cooling checklist.
- Thermostat: set to Cool, a few degrees below the room temperature, with working batteries.
- Air filter: a clogged filter can choke the airflow. Replace it if it's dirty.
- Breakers: check the AC breakers in the panel and the switch box next to the outdoor unit. Reset a tripped breaker once; if it trips again, leave it off.
- Outdoor unit: is the fan spinning? Clear leaves, grass and anything piled against it.
- Ice or standing water: ice on the copper lines, or standing water in the drain pan under the indoor unit, means switching the system off and calling.
Is it worth an after-hours call?
Nights, weekends and holidays cost more, so it helps to decide whether it can wait for business hours.
- Call now: someone in the home is at risk from the heat, there's a burning smell, or water is damaging the house.
- It can usually wait: the house is warm but bearable, or the system still cools a little. Turn it off if it's icing, close the blinds, and book the first weekday slot.
If you need someone tonight, calling an HVAC company with after-hours service will be quicker, since we read requests during business hours.
What emergency AC repair costs
Fixr puts after-hours HVAC labor at $150–$300 an hour, 2 to 3 times the normal rate of $75–$175 an hour. Diagnostic visits run about $75–$200 (Fixr, This Old House, PickHVAC), and many companies credit the fee toward the repair if you go ahead. Some Savannah companies run specials on it: Service Experts Savannah advertised a $0 diagnostic with a paid repair for October 2026.
The repairs behind most emergency calls, installed, from 2026 price guides:
| Repair | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Capacitor replacement | $100–$450 |
| Contactor or relay replacement | $75–$450 |
| Outdoor fan motor replacement | $300–$800 |
| Clogged condensate drain line | $75–$250 |
| Refrigerant leak repair and recharge | $200–$1,500 |
| Compressor replacement | $600–$4,000 |
Add the after-hours rate on top. The cost estimator does it for you, with the source for every line.
Questions to ask when you call
- What's the trip or diagnostic fee, and is it credited toward the repair?
- What's the after-hours rate, and when does it start?
- Will I get a written price before any work starts?
- What's the company's Georgia conditioned air (HVAC) license number?
- What warranty comes with the parts and the labor?
If the technician says the compressor has failed, see what a compressor replacement costs and when a new system makes more sense.