Labor Costs

The cost to have a window air conditioner serviced differs depending on the labor cost. Although labor costs differ from company to company, the average rate usually runs about $30 an hour. Installation costs can run a little bit higher but generally cost around $45 an hour.

Material Costs

Besides the labor costs, homeowners are also charged for the materials that are needed to fix the window air conditioner unit. In some cases, new pieces are not needed, and the unit just needs to be cleaned. If this is the case, homeowners are still charged the labor rate. As stated above, this generally costs about $30. Below is a breakdown of the costs of some basic materials to fix window air conditioner units. Prices are based on universal parts, so some prices may be higher for name brands.

• Blower Wheel - $71 per unit
• Capacitor - $122 per unit
• Curtain Frame - $43 per unit
• Filter - $76 per unit
• Fan Motor - $294 per unit
• Thermostat - $103 per unit
• Compressor - $128 per unit

Advantages and Disadvantages

Repairing a window air conditioner is not always a good idea. A lot of this has to do with the way that electronics in general are made. Instead of having electronics like window air conditioners repaired, companies prefer for homeowners to just buy new units. That is why, in some cases, it is actually cheaper to buy a new unit instead of repairing a window air conditioner. Below is a more detailed breakdown of the pros and cons.

Pros:

If the window air conditioner that the homeowner is trying to replace is an older model, it can still be cheaper to repair the unit instead of buying a new one. This is because there was a time when devices were meant to be repaired and not replaced. Also, buying a new unit requires going to the store and physically buying one. This takes time and a lot of labor when trying to dispose of the old unit and carry in the new one. If homeowners are able to repair the window air conditioner that is currently in use, they can simply have a repairman come out to their home to fix it. No extra trip required.

Cons:

If the homeowner is using a newer model air conditioning unit, then it is often cheaper to simply replace the unit instead of having a repairman try to fix it. It should also be noted that replacing an older air conditioning unit with a newer one will give the homeowner access to newer features that their old unit may not have had.

Common Problems

The most common problem as to why window air conditioning units need service is because dirt starts to clog up their parts. Over time, dirt, insects and other foreign objects can cause window units not to cool as much. Simply taking apart the unit and cleaning the inside can make a world of difference. Bugs generally get into these machines during the fall and winter when the unit is not in use. Homeowners should store window air conditioners inside when they are not in use. Leaving them installed all year around will cause them to need maintenance more often.

There are some minor maintenance projects that homeowners can do monthly to help keep their units running longer. For example, cleaning the air filter every month and cleaning the water pan and condenser coils at least once per season. When the unit is not in use during the colder seasons, homeowners should either cover up the back of the unit or uninstall it from the window. Before doing any work on a window air conditioning unit, homeowners should unplug the unit from the wall so that there is no electricity running to the unit.