Repairs · Charleston, SC
HVAC Repair in Charleston
Compare licensed HVAC repair pros in Charleston, SC. Typical repair tickets run $698–$7,109.
8 pros rankedLicense-verifiedWritten estimates
On this page
Common HVAC repairs in Charleston
- Heat pump not cooling on humid summer days — low refrigerant, frozen coil, or failing capacitor.
- Furnace short-cycling in winter — dirty flame sensor, oversized equipment, or thermostat miscalibration.
- AC blowing warm air — condenser-fan failure, tripped high-pressure switch, or refrigerant leak.
- Uneven temperatures room-to-room — failing zone damper, duct leakage, or blower-motor issue.
- Loud banging, squealing, or grinding from the air handler — bearings, belt, or blower-wheel imbalance.
- Thermostat shows the right setpoint but the system won't start — control board, transformer, or wiring fault.
- Water pooling at the air handler — clogged condensate drain or cracked pan.
- Frozen evaporator coil that keeps icing over — airflow restriction or low charge.
Ranked shortlist
Request quotes →- Service Experts CharlestonTop pickinstallationrepairemergency
What customers say “This team demonstrated strong coordination and efficiency throughout the project. Brett, along with James, Alfonso,…”
- installationrepairinspectionemergency
What customers say “Tony Hattar has very efficient and knowledgeable. He always responds to our questions and resolves any problems. He…”
- installationrepairemergency
What customers say “Great experience. Alex was awesome to deal with from our inital consultation explaining the different air…”
- Carolina Climate ControlTop rated
What customers say “Had a tech named Joe A. here today for biannual maintenance for my heat pump. What an absolute pro!! He was meticulous…”
- Carolina Custom AirTop ratedinstallationrepairinspection
What customers say “We had Carolina custom air come out as a second opinion to another vendor who told me it would be $30,000 to replace…”
- installationrepairemergency
What customers say “I work in real estate and also at the front desk of a local elementary school, so I’m around people and service…”
- Carney & Son 72 DegreesTop rated
What customers say “I had an excellent experience with Carney and Sons for a full HVAC system installation. From the very first visit, they…”
- AGL Heating & AirTop rated
What customers say “Outstanding service from start to finish. It started with Shonn with his estimate. He answered all my questions, and…”
Repair vs replace: quick decision tree
- Age > 15 years — Expect diminishing returns on any single repair. Start pricing replacement in parallel, especially if a second failure in the last 24 months.
- Repair cost > 50% of replacement — A $2,500 repair on an $8,000 system rarely pencils. Run the 5-year math: repair cost + likely follow-on failures vs new-system financing.
- Uses obsolete refrigerant (R-22) — R-22 is phased out; refills are both expensive and short-lived. Replacement is almost always the right call.
- Failed a major component (compressor, heat exchanger) — These are “the system”. A compressor on a 12-year-old condenser is a replacement signal, not a repair.
Typical repair cost range
Charleston repair range$698 – $7,109per repair visit
Derived from local HVAC benchmarks in Charleston. Most repair tickets fall well below full-system pricing — expect simple swaps (capacitor, ignitor, thermostat) at the low end and major component replacements (blower motor, control board, compressor) at the high end.
Estimate your Charleston repair
Pick the repair type and your system's age for a ballpark range. Real quotes vary by part availability and diagnosis — use this as a sanity check before approving work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a typical HVAC repair take in Charleston?
Most diagnoses take 30–60 minutes on site. Small repairs (capacitor swap, thermostat, ignitor) finish the same visit. Parts-on-order repairs can push the job 1–5 business days depending on supplier stock.
Do repairs come with a warranty?
Labor warranties of 30–90 days are common; parts usually carry the manufacturer's warranty (1–10 years). Always get the warranty terms in writing on the invoice before the tech leaves.
How do I avoid common repair scams?
Red flags: no written estimate before work starts, refrigerant refill with no leak search, blanket recommendation to replace without an inspection, or very high "after-hours" pricing on a non-emergency call. Two written quotes for any repair over $600 is the fastest sanity check.
When should I replace instead of repair?
When the repair estimate exceeds 50% of a new system, or the unit is past 15 years, or it uses obsolete refrigerant (R-22), replacement usually wins the 5-year math. Otherwise repair is almost always the better call.
Licensing verified weekly. Reviews refreshed within the last 30 days.
Licensing data: South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) — Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial Mechanical) and Residential Builders Commission (Residential Specialty HVAC) · Company data: verified business records + Google Business profile
See our editorial standardsReport inaccurate info about HVAC repair in Charleston
Get Charleston repair quotes
Two or three written quotes is the fastest way to normalize a repair bill — we'll connect you with top-ranked local pros.