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You might notice that your air conditioner isn’t running as effectively as it once did. Specifically, your AC unit could take longer to cool your home, or it might struggle to remove humidity from the air. Higher utility bills and hissing sounds coming out of your AC could also indicate a leak.

When your HVAC technician mentions recharging your home AC unit, they’re referring to the process of topping off the unit with refrigerant, so the levels are properly maintained and pressurized. Normally, a properly functioning AC unit doesn’t need additional refrigerant, but AC units can develop leaks or other problems that decrease the amount of refrigerant needed.

AC repairs cost $350 on average, but the total can vary from $100 for a refrigerant recharge to over $3,000 to replace a compressor. The cost will depend on the extent of the repair and what type of AC you have, plus whether your HVAC system is under warranty.

When the capacitor fails, the AC unit can’t operate at all. The most common sign is the thermostat forcing the blower to turn on, but it only circulates room-temperature air. The AC unit also won’t make any noise or indication that it’s on. Sometimes, the compressor might hum as it attempts to work, but without any results.

Before a full shutdown, a faulty capacitor can cause your AC to struggle while turning on. The unit might also shut down in the middle of a cooling cycle.