AC Repair in Keene, NH
Air conditioners here run from July through August. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Cheshire County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Two months of real heat, then long stretches of nothing
Keene only asks an air conditioner to work in July and August, with afternoons averaging 78°F. That short season is part of the problem. A unit that sits idle most of the year can seize up or leak refrigerant slowly over the winter, and the first hot day is when you find out. Capacitors and contactors weaken from sitting as much as from running.
Cheshire County has also logged 164 damaging wind events and 43 hail events over the past ten years, with hail up to 1.75 inches. Wind drives debris into the outdoor unit's coil and fins, and hail can dent the cabinet or bend the fins enough to choke airflow. If your system is blowing warm air or the outdoor unit sounds like it is straining, a season of neglect or a storm that came through months ago could be the reason.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 78°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 43 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 164 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new air conditioner would save little on running costs in Cheshire County, so the repair decision comes down to the unit's condition.
Estimates for a typical Cheshire County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, New Hampshire fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when a part like a capacitor or contactor has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the compressor has failed or the system uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer made.
New Hampshire has no state license for HVAC contractors.
Cheshire County does not license or register HVAC contractors, and there is no county rule that fills the gap either. That means no state or local agency tests contractors here, and there is no license number or record to check because none is kept.
For an air conditioner repair, the protection that does exist comes from the federal government rather than the state. Any technician who opens the refrigerant lines to repair your air conditioner is required to hold EPA Section 608 certification, no matter what state they work in. That certification covers handling refrigerant safely, not the quality of the repair itself.
Source: New Hampshire General Court
- Why is my AC not blowing cold air?
- The most common reason is low refrigerant from a leak somewhere in the line. It can also mean the compressor has failed, or the filter is so clogged that air barely moves across the coil. Only a technician with EPA Section 608 certification can legally check the refrigerant charge, since that means opening the refrigerant side of the system. A contractor can narrow it down once they look at the unit.
- Why is my AC leaking water?
- Usually the drain line is clogged and condensation is backing up instead of draining outside. It can also mean the coil has frozen over and is now melting and overflowing the drain pan. A dirty filter is a common cause of that freeze, since it blocks airflow across the coil. New Hampshire has no state license for HVAC contractors, but a qualified one can clear the line or find the actual cause.
- Why won't my AC turn on?
- Start with the thermostat batteries and the breaker before assuming the worst. If those are fine, the problem is likely inside the unit, a failed capacitor or a tripped safety switch are both common. With only two months of real cooling weather here, July and August, a system that sits unused most of the year can develop these issues without much warning. A contractor can test the electrical components and tell you what actually failed.