Your AC Isn't Cooling — Don't Panic Yet
I'm Omar Jacobo, EPA 608 certified (#2396328), owner of Frosty's HVAC. When your AC stops cooling in Texas, it feels like an emergency — and when it's 100 degrees outside, it basically is. But before you call me (or anyone), there are several things you can check yourself that might solve the problem in minutes.
I've put together this step-by-step guide based on the most common issues I've seen across hundreds of service calls in Farmers Branch, Coppell, Irving, Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Grapevine. Work through these in order — each step only takes a minute or two.
Step 1: Check Your Thermostat
I know it sounds obvious, but I can't tell you how many service calls I've run where the fix was a thermostat setting. Here's what to check:
- Make sure it's set to "COOL" — not "heat" or "off"
- Set the fan to "AUTO" — not "ON." When the fan is on "ON," it runs continuously even when the system isn't cooling, and the air feels warm
- Set the temperature at least 3 degrees below the current room temperature
- If the screen is blank, replace the batteries (most thermostats use AA or AAA)
- After a power outage, some thermostats lose their programming — you may need to reprogram the schedule
Cost if this was the problem: Free.
Step 2: Check Your Air Filter
Pull out your air filter and look at it. If you can't see light through it, it's clogged. A severely clogged filter restricts airflow so much that the evaporator coil freezes — and a frozen coil means no cooling.
In Texas, with our extreme pollen counts and dust, filters clog faster than the manufacturer suggests. During peak summer, I recommend checking it every 30 days. Your filter is usually in a slot at the return air grille (the big vent on your wall or ceiling) or at the air handler in your attic or closet.
Cost if this was the problem: $5–$20 for a new filter.
Step 3: Check Your Breaker Panel
Your AC system uses two breakers — one for the indoor air handler and one for the outdoor condenser. Either one can trip independently. Go to your electrical panel and look for any breakers in the middle position (neither fully on nor fully off). If you find one, flip it fully off, wait 30 seconds, then flip it back on.
Important: If the breaker trips again immediately or within a few minutes, do NOT keep resetting it. A breaker that keeps tripping is protecting your home from an electrical fault. That's when you call a professional.
Cost if this was the problem: Free (but if the breaker keeps tripping, you need an AC repair visit).
Step 4: Check the Outdoor Unit
Go outside and look at your condenser (the big metal box with a fan on top). Here's what to check:
- Is the fan spinning? If the system is running but the outdoor fan isn't spinning, you likely have a bad fan motor or capacitor
- Is there debris blocking it? Clear away any leaves, grass clippings, or trash within 2 feet of the unit on all sides
- Is the unit making unusual noises? Buzzing often means a bad contactor or capacitor. Grinding means a failing motor. Clicking with no startup means a potential compressor issue
- Is the disconnect pulled? There's a small metal box on the wall near the outdoor unit with a pull-out disconnect. Make sure it's pushed in and engaged
Cost if a component has failed: Capacitor: $500. Contactor: $600. Fan motor: $650–$2,800 (standard motors $750–$1,500, ECM/variable speed motors up to $2,800).
Step 5: Check for Ice on the Lines
Look at the copper refrigerant lines running from your outdoor unit to the wall of your house. Also check the larger (insulated) line. If you see ice or frost on either line, your system has a problem — either restricted airflow (clogged filter, which you already checked) or low refrigerant from a leak.
If you see ice: turn the system to "fan only" and let it run for 2–4 hours to thaw completely. Running the system with a frozen coil can damage the compressor, and that's a $3,500–$5,000 repair. After it thaws, put a clean filter in and try running it again. If it freezes up again, you have a refrigerant leak and need professional service.
Remember: your AC is a hermetically sealed system. Refrigerant doesn't evaporate or get consumed. If it's low, there's a leak somewhere, and we need to find it, fix it, and then recharge to factory specs. Anyone who just "tops it off" is wasting your money — the refrigerant will leak out again.
Cost for leak repair + recharge: $350–$1,000 depending on leak location.
Step 6: Check Your Vents
Walk through your home and make sure all supply vents (the ones that blow air) are open and unblocked. Furniture, curtains, or closed vents in unused rooms can create pressure imbalances that reduce cooling throughout the house. Also check your return air vents — if those are blocked, the system can't pull in enough air to cool.
If some rooms are consistently hotter than others even with vents open, you may have a ductwork problem. In Texas attics where temperatures reach 140–160 degrees in summer, ductwork deteriorates over time. Grey flex duct in homes built before 2000 often has 20–30% air leakage, which means a huge portion of your cooled air is being dumped into the attic instead of your rooms.
Cost if this was the problem: Free to open blocked vents. Ductwork repairs vary.
Step 7: Look at the Drain Line
Your AC produces condensation that drains through a PVC pipe, usually routed to a drain or outside your home. If that line is clogged (algae growth is common in our humidity), water backs up and can trigger a safety float switch that shuts down the system. Look for water pooled around your indoor air handler in the attic or closet.
You can try clearing the line with a wet/dry vacuum on the outdoor end of the drain pipe, or by pouring a cup of white vinegar into the drain line access point near the indoor unit.
Cost if this was the problem: Free if you clear it yourself. Part of our $85 diagnostic if we do it.
When to Stop DIY and Call a Pro
Call a licensed HVAC technician when:
- The breaker keeps tripping after you reset it
- The outdoor fan isn't spinning but the unit is buzzing
- You see ice forming on the refrigerant lines even with a clean filter
- The system runs but there's no cool air after you've checked everything above
- You hear grinding, screeching, or banging from the unit
- Your indoor temperature is rising despite the system running constantly
What a Frosty's HVAC Service Call Looks Like
We charge an $85 diagnostic fee — and we waive it if you proceed with the repair. That diagnostic includes a complete system inspection: electrical readings, refrigerant pressure check, airflow measurements, and a clear diagnosis with flat-rate pricing for the fix. No hourly charges. No surprises.
Our 94 Google reviewers (4.9 stars) will tell you — we show up on time, explain the problem honestly, and give you real options. If the repair costs more than it should relative to your system's age and condition, I'll tell you straight. Check our Energy Savings Calculator to see how much a new system could save you on electricity.
Call us at (469) 254-0548 or try our AI Diagnostic Tool to get a head start on identifying the problem before we arrive.