Straight answersbefore you pick up the phone.

California Heating & AC Repair offers same-day service across Fresno and Clovis in most cases, and next-day for the wider service area. During the peak of a Fresno heat wave, demand across the valley spikes and same-day slots fill early, so calling first thing in the morning gives you the best chance. We tell you honestly on the phone when a same-day visit is not realistic rather than booking you and hoping.

Yes. California Heating & AC Repair is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. An air conditioner failing at 9pm on a Saturday in July is not an unusual event in Fresno, and the phone at (559) 520-4240 is answered around the clock.

We serve Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Sanger, Selma, Kerman, Kingsburg, Fowler and Reedley, along with the surrounding Fresno County communities. Our office is at 7257 N Maple Ave, Suite 107 in north Fresno. If your address is just outside those towns, call and ask, because we regularly take work slightly beyond that boundary. See the full service area.

Any difference for after-hours work is quoted to you when you book, before a technician is dispatched. Nothing appears on your invoice that was not discussed on the phone first.

Yes. You can request an appointment through the booking form on our website at any hour, and we call you back to confirm a time. If your system is completely down and the house is getting hot, calling (559) 520-4240 is faster. Book online here.

Clear access to your outdoor condenser and to your furnace or air handler, which may be in a garage, closet, attic or crawlspace. If you can, note the model and serial number from the data plate on the outdoor unit, since that lets us check warranty status before we quote anything. Secure any pets that might be startled by someone working in the yard.

Most air conditioning repairs in the Fresno area fall between roughly $150 and $1,600 depending on what failed. A capacitor replacement is typically $150 to $350, a condenser fan motor $400 to $800, and a refrigerant leak repair $400 to $1,600. Major component work such as an evaporator coil or compressor replacement runs considerably higher. See published price ranges.

Yes. California Heating & AC Repair charges one flat diagnostic fee, confirmed when you book, and it is waived entirely when you approve the repair. We charge it because a free visit still costs the company money, and that cost gets recovered from whoever ends up buying a new system — which is precisely the incentive we are trying to keep out of your driveway.

Always. You see photos of what the technician found, a firm price for the work, and every reasonable option before anything is touched. No parts or labor happen on assumption, and declining is a completely acceptable answer.

No. We price flat rate per job, so you get one number for the work. If a repair takes longer than we expected, that is our problem to solve rather than a larger invoice for you.

Yes. Financing is available on qualifying repairs and installations through third-party lenders, subject to credit approval, with decisions usually the same day. You see the full term, monthly payment and total cost in writing before you commit to anything. See financing options.

On a replacement, usually because it is a different job. Check whether the quote includes a load calculation, the mechanical permit, independent code verification, any necessary duct work and a written labor warranty. A number missing those items is not a lower price for the same thing.

The most common causes are a failed run capacitor, a bad contactor, low refrigerant from a leak, a seized condenser fan motor or a frozen evaporator coil. Because several of these produce identical symptoms, the only way to know which one you have is measurement — superheat and subcooling, capacitance in microfarads, and amp draw against the data plate. More on AC repair.

A repeatedly tripping breaker usually means the system is drawing more current than it should, which points to a failing compressor, a seized motor, a shorted component or a degraded capacitor forcing the motor to work harder. It can also indicate an electrical fault in the circuit itself. Do not keep resetting it — the breaker is doing its job, and repeated resets on a genuine fault risk damaging the compressor further.

Turn the cooling off at the thermostat and set the fan to ON, which thaws the coil without running the compressor against ice. Never chip at the ice. Freezing is a symptom rather than a fault, and it is almost always caused by restricted airflow from a dirty filter or blocked ducts, or by low refrigerant from a leak. Running the system while frozen can send liquid refrigerant back to the compressor and cause expensive damage.

Most common repairs are completed in the same visit, usually within one to two hours including the diagnostic. Capacitor, contactor and drain repairs are often quicker than that. Major work such as an evaporator coil or compressor replacement takes considerably longer and may need to be scheduled once the part is confirmed.

Yes. Capacitors, contactors, common motors, thermostats, float switches and standard consumables are stocked on our vehicles, which is why most Fresno repairs are finished on the first visit. Brand-specific control boards and major components are ordered, and we tell you the realistic timeline rather than an optimistic one.

A run capacitor stores and releases the electrical charge that starts and runs your compressor and fan motors. They fail more often in Fresno than in most of the country because heat degrades them and our systems run enormous numbers of hours each season. A capacitor is an inexpensive part, it fails measurably and gradually, and testing it in microfarads during a maintenance visit will usually tell you whether yours will survive the summer.

Air conditioning systems are sized to a design temperature rather than the record high, so running continuously and drifting slightly above setpoint on an extreme afternoon is expected behavior rather than a fault. When a system genuinely cannot keep up, the cause is more often duct leakage into a hot attic, low airflow or a refrigerant charge problem than insufficient equipment size. More on sizing.

It depends on six things: what specifically failed, the repair cost against a properly installed replacement, which refrigerant the system uses, its repair history, whether the part is still under manufacturer warranty, and the condition of the ductwork. Component failures such as capacitors, contactors and motors are worth repairing at almost any age. Compressor or evaporator coil failure on an older out-of-warranty system is a genuine replacement conversation. See the full framework.

Typically 12 to 18 years, though run hours matter more than calendar years. Fresno systems work far harder each season than the national average because the valley sees over 100 days a year above 90 degrees, so a maintained unit in a shaded yard can outlast a neglected one in full sun by several years.

Often yes. A fifteen-year-old system that measures within specification and needs a $300 part gets repaired. The same system with a leaking evaporator coil, no remaining warranty and a history of failures is a different answer. Age changes the odds but it is not a diagnosis, and "it is fifteen years old" is not on its own a reason to replace anything.

The 50% rule says that if a repair costs more than half of a properly installed replacement, replacement is usually the better use of the money. It is a reasonable starting point, but it assumes you know the real replacement cost — and a lowball quote that skips the permit, load calculation and code verification makes any repair look expensive by comparison.

It depends entirely on what failed. An electrical component or motor is worth repairing on an R-22 system at almost any age. A refrigerant leak is usually not, because R-22 production ended in 2020 and the remaining reclaimed supply is expensive enough that the refrigerant itself becomes the costly part of the job. Your refrigerant type is printed on the data plate of your outdoor unit.

Yes, and California Heating & AC Repair provides second opinions free with no obligation. We diagnose the system independently, without reading the other company's conclusion first, and tell you plainly whether their recommendation holds up — including when it does. Request a second opinion.

A properly installed air conditioner replacement in the Fresno area typically runs from around $7,000 to $12,000 for a condenser and coil, and roughly $10,000 to $18,000 for a complete air conditioner and furnace system. Those figures include the permit, load calculation and independent code verification that California requires, which is a large part of why some quotes come in dramatically lower. See published ranges.

There is no honest answer without a load calculation. Square footage alone does not determine it — orientation, window area and glazing type, insulation levels, air infiltration, duct location and local design conditions all change the result. Matching the tonnage of the unit that just failed is not sizing, because it perpetuates whatever error was made the first time. More on Manual J sizing.

No. An oversized system short cycles, meaning it satisfies the thermostat quickly and shuts off before completing a full cycle. That produces larger temperature swings, worse room-to-room evenness, more wear on compressors and contactors, and higher running costs, because an air conditioner is least efficient in the first minutes after start-up. Correct sizing outperforms extra capacity in every measure that matters.

Yes. The California Mechanical Code requires a mechanical permit for HVAC changeouts, including replacing the condenser, coil, furnace or air handler. Routine repairs do not require a permit, but replacing equipment does. Skipping it creates disclosure problems at resale, can complicate insurance and warranty claims, and exposes the contractor to state licensing discipline. More on permits.

They are the same testing under a different program. On January 1, 2026, with California's 2025 Energy Code, field verification and diagnostic testing moved out of the HERS Program and into the Energy Code Compliance (ECC) Program under Title 24. HERS raters became ECC raters. An independent certified rater measures duct leakage, airflow and refrigerant charge on qualifying installations. Paperwork issued under earlier code cycles still says HERS.

Most residential changeouts are completed in one day, with larger or more complex jobs such as duct replacement running into a second. Independent verification is scheduled separately after the install. If your system has failed completely, California allows compliance certificates on urgent alterations such as HVAC changeouts to be registered after installation provided it happens before the permit is closed, so paperwork does not have to hold up the work.

Fewer than in previous years. The federal 25C tax credit ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025, TECH Clean California closed single-family reservations in November 2025, and HEEHRA single-family rebates became fully reserved statewide in February 2026. PG&E residential rebates and GoGreen Home Energy Financing remain active. We check what is genuinely available for your project at quote time rather than working from a web page. See current status.

Once a year for cooling, ideally in spring before the first triple-digit stretch, and once a year for heating in the fall. Fresno systems accumulate far more run hours per season than the national average, and components wear on hours rather than birthdays, so annual service matters more here than in most of the country.

A proper cooling tune-up verifies refrigerant charge using superheat and subcooling, cleans the condenser coil, reads capacitors in microfarads against their rated value, checks amp draw against the data plate, measures temperature split and static pressure, and clears the condensate drain and tests the float switch. If a visit consists of a filter change and a visual glance, it is not a tune-up.

Every one to three months for a standard one-inch filter, and more often during Fresno's summer run season or if you have pets. Thicker media filters generally last six to twelve months. A restricted filter is one of the most common causes of frozen coils and poor airflow, and it is the cheapest problem in HVAC to avoid.

It prevents the ones that build up over time, which is most of them. A loaded condenser coil, a refrigerant charge drifting low from a slow leak and a capacitor degrading toward failure are all measurable months before they cause a no-cooling call. It will not stop a control board failing without warning or a motor seizing, and any company promising a system will never break down is overselling.

Yes. Our Comfort Maintenance Plan includes two visits a year, priority scheduling, documented service history and member repair pricing. On systems we installed, the annual service is also what keeps our labor warranty extended to up to ten years rather than the standard one year. See the plan.

Generally no. Manufacturer warranties cover the replacement part only. The diagnosis, the labor to fit it, the refrigerant and the service call are separate costs, and on a compressor replacement that labor is most of the total. Whether it is covered depends entirely on the installing contractor's own labor warranty. More on warranty coverage.

Every system California Heating & AC Repair installs carries a one-year labor warranty as standard, with no conditions attached. That extends up to ten years for as long as we are the company performing your annual maintenance. If the yearly service lapses or moves to another company, coverage returns to the standard term.

No. Manufacturer warranties require installation and service by a properly licensed contractor, not by one specific company. What commonly does void or reduce coverage is unregistered equipment, unlicensed work, an unpermitted installation, or a missing maintenance record when the manufacturer asks for service history.

Registration status is held by the manufacturer against your model and serial number, which are printed on the data plate of your outdoor unit. Most manufacturers require registration within a set window after installation, and unregistered equipment typically drops to a substantially shorter base warranty. Text a photo of the plate to (559) 520-4240 and we will check it for you, even if another company installed the system.

Yes. California Heating & AC Repair operates under CSLB license #999179 and is licensed and insured. You can verify the license status, bond and workers' compensation directly with the California Contractors State License Board rather than taking our word for it. More about the company.

No. California Heating & AC Repair is independent and locally operated by Craftline Renovations, Inc., based at 7257 N Maple Ave, Suite 107 in Fresno. Calling (559) 520-4240 reaches our own office rather than a national call center routing your job to whoever bid on the lead.

All major residential brands, including Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, American Standard, Bryant, York, Amana, Ruud, Daikin and Bosch, plus ductless systems from Mitsubishi, Fujitsu and LG. We service split systems, packaged and rooftop units, heat pumps, mini-splits and evaporative coolers. See the full list.

We handle light commercial work, including packaged rooftop units on small commercial buildings across the same Fresno County service area. Call and describe the equipment and we will tell you honestly whether it is a fit for us.

We are repair-first, which means we diagnose systems before anyone discusses replacing them, and we publish the things most companies keep vague — our diagnostic process step by step, real price ranges, and an honest framework for deciding between repair and replacement. We also photograph what we find and show you before you approve anything. See our process.

Call the office at (559) 520-4240 and tell us. We will make it right where we can, and we will not ask you to take down an honest review either way. Every company that does enough work does some of it badly, and how a company responds to that is more informative than a claim that it never happens.