Roth's Air Conditioning — Frequently Asked Questions

Everything from a unit that won't turn on to one that runs constantly and never quite cools the house. Common issues we diagnose and repair include weak airflow, refrigerant leaks, frozen evaporator coils, electrical failures, tripped breakers, failing capacitors, strange noises, and full system breakdowns.

Watch for weak or uneven airflow, warm air coming from the vents, unusual sounds (rattling, grinding, hissing, or squealing), musty or burning odors, rising energy bills with no change in usage, and a system that short-cycles (turns on and off repeatedly). Any one of these on its own is worth a call — several together usually means it's time to act soon.

The most common culprits are dirty air filters restricting airflow, refrigerant leaks, failed capacitors or contactors, clogged condensate drain lines, and worn electrical components. Florida's heat and humidity are especially hard on electrical parts, which is part of why annual maintenance matters so much here.

Both. Airflow restriction from a dirty filter or coil builds gradually and you may not notice until it's significant. Other failures — like a blown capacitor — can take your whole system down in an instant, often on the hottest day of the year. Regular maintenance catches the slow-building issues before they cause the sudden ones.

First, check three things yourself: make sure the thermostat is set to "cool" and to a temperature below room temperature, check that the air filter isn't clogged, and check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker. If everything looks normal and you're still not getting cold air, that points to something mechanical or electrical, and it's time to call us.

A frozen coil is almost always a sign of restricted airflow (dirty filter, blocked vents, failing blower motor) or low refrigerant from a leak. Running the system with a frozen coil can damage the compressor, so turn the system off, let it thaw, and call us rather than continuing to run it.

No — and we say that for your safety, not just to sell a service call. HVAC systems involve high voltage and pressurized refrigerant, and mistakes can cause injury, fire risk, or expensive secondary damage. Filter changes and clearing debris around the outdoor unit are fine for homeowners; anything involving the electrical or refrigerant side should go to a licensed technician.

Not usually. Most single-component failures — a capacitor, contactor, blower motor, or fan motor — are straightforward, affordable repairs. Replacement becomes the smarter call when the system is older (typically 10–12+ years), repairs are becoming frequent, or the cost of the repair is a large percentage of what a new system would cost.

Most repairs are completed in 1–3 hours, depending on the issue and whether the part is on our trucks. We stock the most common parts specifically so we can fix things in one visit whenever possible.

Yes to both. We prioritize same-day service whenever possible, and we offer emergency repair for situations like a total system failure during extreme heat, because we know a broken AC in Florida isn't a problem that can always wait until tomorrow.

At least once a year, ideally in spring before Florida's peak cooling season hits. Homes that run their system hard nearly year-round can benefit from twice-yearly service. Regular maintenance is the single biggest thing you can do to prevent breakdowns and keep your energy bills in check.

A thorough tune-up covers checking refrigerant levels, inspecting and tightening electrical connections, testing capacitors and contactors, cleaning coils, clearing the condensate drain line, checking airflow and filter condition, and verifying the thermostat is calibrated correctly. It's a full health check for your system, not just a filter swap.

The most common causes are a system working harder than it should due to dirty filters, low refrigerant, duct leaks, or simply aging equipment losing efficiency. Home factors matter too — insulation quality, air leaks around doors and windows, and how the thermostat is being used all affect the bill. A tune-up or, in some cases, a system upgrade can make a noticeable difference.

Every 1–3 months for a standard filter, though homes with pets, allergy sufferers, or higher dust levels should lean toward the shorter end. A clogged filter is one of the most common — and easiest to prevent — causes of poor airflow, frozen coils, and higher bills.

This is usually an airflow or duct issue rather than something wrong with the unit itself — blocked or closed vents, furniture obstructing airflow, leaky or poorly sealed ductwork, or a system that's undersized or oversized for the home's layout. We can pinpoint the cause with a room-by-room airflow assessment.

R-22 (older systems, largely phased out of production) depletes the ozone layer and has become expensive and harder to source. R-410A, used in modern systems, doesn't harm the ozone layer and generally allows for better efficiency. If your older system still uses R-22 and needs a refrigerant recharge, that's often the point where replacement becomes the more cost-effective choice.

Refrigerant doesn't get "used up" during normal operation, so if a system is low, there's a leak somewhere. We can top it off, but the right fix is finding and repairing the leak — otherwise you'll be back to square one in a few months.