Refrigerant Leak Repair
We trace refrigerant leaks with electronic detectors, bubble tests and nitrogen pressure, then repair and recharge by weight.
Learn moreCooling in Pasadena, CA
AC repair in Pasadena, fixed the same visit when the part is on the truck
Warm air, a humming outdoor unit or a tripped breaker: we find the failed part and fix most AC problems in one visit.
- Answering 24/7
- Price quoted before work
- Pasadena and nearby cities
Quick answer
Most central AC breakdowns in Pasadena come down to a short list of parts: a weak run capacitor, a pitted contactor, a failing condenser fan motor, a clogged drain or a refrigerant leak. A Marco's technician tests each one with meters and gauges, shows you the reading, quotes the repair before starting, and carries the common parts so many systems run again the same day.
AC Repair
What ac repair covers at your home
When the house hits 84 degrees at 9 p.m. on a July night, you want to know two things: what broke, and what it costs to fix. Our technicians answer both before they touch a wrench. We test the electrical side first, because a $20 part like a capacitor is behind a large share of no-cool calls, then move to airflow and refrigerant if the electrical checks out.
Marco's runs repair calls around the clock from our Old Pasadena office on East Colorado Boulevard and our Duarte head office. We work on split systems, package units on flat roofs, and the attic air handlers common in Pasadena bungalows and ranch homes. You get the price for the repair up front, and you decide whether to fix it or talk about replacement.
Warning signs
Signs your AC needs a repair visit
Outdoor fan not spinning
The compressor hums but the top fan sits still. That usually points to a failed capacitor or fan motor, and running it like this can overheat the compressor within minutes.
Air from vents feels warm
The indoor blower runs but the air is room temperature. Common causes are a dead contactor at the condenser, low refrigerant, or a frozen evaporator coil blocking heat transfer.
Breaker trips on startup
A breaker that trips each time the AC kicks on can mean a shorted compressor winding, a grounded fan motor, or a loose lug burning at the disconnect. Leave it off and call.
Ice on the copper line
Frost on the larger suction line near the condenser means the coil inside is running too cold. A dirty filter, a weak blower or a low charge are the usual reasons.
Clicking with no startup
Repeated clicking at the thermostat or outdoor unit without the system starting often traces to a failed transformer, a blown low-voltage fuse, or a contactor coil that no longer pulls in.
Short cycling every few minutes
The AC turns on, runs two or three minutes, and shuts off. Oversized equipment, a tripping high-pressure switch or a thermostat placed in a sunny spot can all cause this pattern.
The parts that fail most on a hot Pasadena afternoon
Heat is hard on electrical parts. The run capacitor stores a charge that gives the compressor and fan motor their starting push, and it weakens as it ages in a metal cabinet sitting in the sun. When it drops below its rated microfarads, the motors struggle, draw extra current and eventually stop. We read the capacitor with a meter rather than guessing from a bulged top.
The contactor is the switch that sends power to the condenser when the thermostat calls. Its contacts pit and burn over thousands of cycles, and ants like to nest between them in our area. A worn contactor can chatter, stick closed or fail open. Condenser fan motors also wear out, especially on units that have run hard through several 100 degree summers.
- Dual run capacitor reading below its rated range or showing a swollen case
- Contactor points pitted, burned or packed with insects and debris
- Condenser fan motor with worn bearings, a seized shaft or an open winding
- Blown low-voltage fuse on the furnace or air handler control board
- Failed pressure switch or a refrigerant leak at a flare or Schrader valve
Why we test before we replace anything
Swapping parts until the system runs is the expensive way to fix an air conditioner. Our technicians measure voltage at the disconnect, amperage on the compressor and fan, capacitor microfarads, and temperature split across the indoor coil. If refrigerant is involved, we read pressures, superheat and subcooling to tell an undercharge from an airflow problem, since both can look the same at the vent.
That testing also catches a second problem hiding behind the first. A capacitor may have failed because the fan motor bearings were dragging. A frozen coil may come back tomorrow if the filter slot leaks dust onto the coil face. We would rather tell you about both now than see you again in a week for the same symptom.
Repair or replace: how we help you decide
Not every breakdown deserves a big repair. If your system still runs on R-22, a refrigerant leak gets expensive fast because that gas is no longer produced and reclaimed supply is limited. If the compressor has failed on a unit past 15 years, the repair can approach a large share of a new system's cost. We give you both numbers and let you choose.
For most systems under 12 years old with a single failed part, repair is the sensible call. We will say so plainly. Where replacement makes more sense, we explain how sizing, SEER2 ratings and the newer A2L refrigerants change what you would buy today.
Step by step
What happens when our technician arrives
- 1
Listen to the symptoms
We ask when it started, what you heard or smelled, and whether a breaker tripped. Those details narrow the search before the panel cover comes off and save diagnostic time.
- 2
Check power and controls
The technician confirms voltage at the disconnect, checks the low-voltage circuit from the thermostat, and tests the transformer, fuse and contactor coil for a clean signal.
- 3
Test motors and refrigerant
Capacitor, compressor and fan motor are measured under load. If the electrical side is sound, gauges go on to read pressures, superheat and subcooling against the outdoor temperature.
- 4
Quote the repair first
You see the failed part or the reading that proves it, along with the price for the fix. Nothing gets replaced until you agree to the number on the quote.
- 5
Repair and confirm cooling
After the repair, the system runs through a full cycle while we check amperage and the temperature drop across the coil, so you know it is actually cooling before we leave.
Typical prices
What AC repair costs in Pasadena
These are typical 2026 ranges for common AC repairs in Pasadena and nearby San Gabriel Valley cities. The final price depends on what the technician finds once the system is opened and tested. We quote the price before we start the work, and the diagnostic is applied toward the repair when you go ahead.
| Job | Typical range | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit | $119 to $189 | Full electrical, airflow and refrigerant check with a written repair quote |
| Run capacitor replacement | $187 to $412 | Dual capacitors for compressor and fan cost toward the upper end |
| Contactor replacement | $214 to $438 | Includes cleaning the disconnect lugs and checking wire condition |
| Condenser fan motor | $468 to $1,085 | Universal or factory motor, new capacitor and fan blade inspection included |
| Leak repair and recharge | $612 to $1,940 | Varies with leak location, refrigerant type and pounds needed |
Price moves with access, part type and timing. A condenser on a steep side yard or a package unit on a flat roof takes longer, factory-specific parts cost more than universal ones, and R-22 systems are far costlier to recharge than R-410A. Compare other jobs in our Pasadena HVAC price guide.
AC repair in Pasadena homes, from bungalows to hillside ranches
Many Pasadena homes were built long before central air existed. In Craftsman bungalows around Bungalow Heaven and Spanish Revival houses in the Historic Highlands, the air handler often sits in a tight attic that reaches 130 degrees in August, with ductwork added decades after construction. That heat bakes wiring, cracks drain lines and pushes blower motors to their limit. Our technicians plan for attic access and bring the right tools to work safely up there.
Hot inland afternoons in the high 90s, Santa Ana wind days that coat condenser coils with dust, and smoke seasons that clog filters all add strain. Foothill homes near the San Gabriel Mountains see more leaves and pine needles packed into outdoor units. Pasadena homes buy power from Pasadena Water and Power, while most neighboring cities are on Southern California Edison, so when we see an electrical supply issue we tell you which utility to contact.
Related work
Often booked with AC Repair
AC Tune-Up & Maintenance
A spring tune-up that cleans the coils, tests the capacitor and contactor, clears the drain and checks the charge before summer hits.
Learn more24/7 Emergency HVAC Repair
Night, weekend and holiday repairs for a dead AC in a heat wave or a furnace that quits on a cold night, any hour.
Learn moreAC Compressor Replacement
We test windings, start components and pressures to confirm a dead compressor, then replace it and protect the new one from the same fate.
Learn moreWhere we do AC Repair
Our technicians handle this work all over Pasadena and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley. A few of the places we cover:
Questions
AC Repair questions from Pasadena homeowners
We answer the phone 24/7 and dispatch from Old Pasadena and Duarte. On most days a technician reaches homes in Pasadena, Altadena and South Pasadena the same day you call. During long heat waves, calls stack up, so we give you an honest arrival window on the phone instead of a vague promise.
Often, yes. Our trucks carry capacitors, contactors, universal fan motors, fuses, transformers and common refrigerants. Repairs that need a factory part, such as a specific compressor, a control board or a matched coil, may take a second visit once the part arrives. We tell you which situation you are in before we leave.
If the outdoor fan is not spinning, ice is forming on the lines, or a breaker keeps tripping, switch the system off at the thermostat. Running it can overheat the compressor or flood the coil with meltwater. If it simply cools poorly, you can run it, but replace a dirty filter first and keep blinds closed.
We can repair the electrical and mechanical parts on R-22 systems like any other unit. The challenge is refrigerant. R-22 is no longer produced, so any recharge uses reclaimed gas at a high price. If your R-22 system has a leak, we will show you the repair cost next to the cost of a modern replacement.
Those two readings tell us whether the refrigerant charge is correct for the conditions that day. Pressure alone can mislead, because a dirty filter or a weak blower changes pressures too. Superheat and subcooling separate an airflow problem from a true leak, which keeps us from adding refrigerant a system does not need.
Need heat or cooling back today?
Call our Pasadena line any hour. A person answers, asks a few questions about the system, and gives you an arrival window.
(626) 879-0711Answering 24 hours, 7 days