My AC recently broke down, and the technician charged me $130 to replace the capacitor. He mentioned that I should schedule regular maintenance for $400. I live in Texas and have a small to medium-sized, single-story home. Is that maintenance cost reasonable?
3 Answers
I typically do yearly checks on my HVAC system, and it runs me about $350 for both the AC and furnace services. If you haven’t had maintenance in a while, the technician’s quote might be justified. Just make sure to ask him about what the $400 covers to see if it’s worth it!
That $130 fee for the capacitor change is a steal! If you feel handy, you could also consider DIY cleaning for some parts like the condenser coils to save a few bucks in the long run. Just find out exactly what's included in the maintenance service before deciding!
$130 for that capacitor replacement is actually a really good deal. I usually pay around $70 for yearly servicing, so it sounds like you're getting a fair price overall for the maintenance. Just be sure to check what the maintenance plan includes!

Yeah, cleaning the coils can be simple if you're up for it! Just check if he does more detailed cleaning during maintenance, as that could justify the cost.