Expert ac repair in Burlingame, CA. NATE-certified technicians, quality equipment, and results you can count on.
When your air conditioner in Burlingame, California blows warm air, short cycles, or fails to start, KIC Refrigeration technicians identify the exact cause through systematic testing of the refrigerant circuit, compressor windings, capacitors, and control board. We restore reliable cooling performance with precision repairs that address the root problem, not just the symptoms.
Burlingame homeowners and businesses count on reliable ac repair to maintain comfort and protect indoor air quality. Serving a city of 30,688 across California, KIC Refrigeration brings the experience and crew depth to handle ac repair projects of any scale. We begin every job with an honest evaluation and a clear, written estimate.
Our ac repair technicians in Burlingame, CA are NATE-certified, EPA 608 licensed, and equipped with advanced diagnostic tools. From the initial inspection through final commissioning, we maintain open communication and hold ourselves to the highest standards. That is how KIC Refrigeration has earned the trust of homeowners across California.
A clear, step-by-step approach to every ac repair project we take on.
We assess your air conditioning problem — no cooling, weak airflow, strange noises, ice buildup, or short cycling — and perform a safety check on electrical connections, circuit breaker, disconnect, and thermostat wiring before beginning hands-on diagnostics.
KIC Refrigeration diagnoses AC failures in Burlingame, CA with precision electrical and refrigerant testing. We check capacitors within 6 percent of rated microfarads, measure contactor coil resistance, verify compressor winding resistance for shorts and opens, and test the refrigerant circuit — comparing suction pressure, discharge pressure, subcooling, and superheat to the manufacturer target values for the current outdoor ambient temperature.
Our Burlingame technician replaces the failed part with the correct replacement for your unit make, model, and tonnage. If the failure involves the sealed refrigerant system, we recover the charge, make the repair, pressure test with nitrogen, evacuate to below 500 microns, and weigh in the correct charge of R-410A or the specified refrigerant.
We run the system for a minimum of 15 minutes, measure the temperature split across the evaporator coil (target: 16 to 22 degrees), verify suction and discharge pressures, check condenser fan and blower motor amperage, and confirm the thermostat cycles the system off at setpoint.
Common questions about ac repair costs, timelines, and what to expect.
AC repair in Burlingame typically costs $150 to $500 for common component failures including run capacitors ($150 to $250), contactors ($150 to $350), condenser fan motors ($250 to $500), and blower motors ($300 to $600). Compressor replacement is the most expensive repair at $1,500 to $3,500 depending on unit tonnage and whether the system uses R-410A or older R-22 refrigerant. Evaporator coil replacement runs $800 to $2,500 including the refrigerant recovery and recharge. KIC Refrigeration provides a detailed written estimate with itemized parts and labor costs before beginning any AC repair at your Burlingame property so there are no surprises on the invoice.
AC refrigerant recharge in Burlingame costs $200 to $500 for R-410A systems at roughly $50 to $80 per pound, and $400 to $1,200 for older R-22 systems at $80 to $150 per pound due to the phaseout-driven supply shortage. However, simply adding refrigerant without finding the leak is a temporary and wasteful fix — the charge will leak out again in weeks or months and you will be back in the same situation. KIC Refrigeration always locates the leak first using electronic leak detectors and UV dye, repairs the leaking component, evacuates the system to remove moisture and air, and recharges by weight to the manufacturer specification. This approach fixes the problem permanently.
An AC that runs but produces little or no cooling is most commonly caused by low refrigerant charge from a leak, which reduces the suction pressure and causes the evaporator coil temperature to drop below 32 degrees, forming ice that blocks airflow completely. Other causes include a dirty condenser coil that cannot reject heat, a failed compressor that runs but does not pump refrigerant, a stuck or failed metering device — either a TXV or fixed orifice — that restricts refrigerant flow, or a blower motor running at reduced speed due to a failing capacitor. KIC Refrigeration connects manifold gauges at your Burlingame home and measures suction pressure, discharge pressure, superheat, and subcooling to diagnose the exact cause.
The industry guideline is to repair if the unit is under 10 years old and the repair costs less than 50 percent of a new system. AC units over 15 years old — especially those running R-22 refrigerant — are almost always better replaced. R-22 has been phased out of production and the remaining supply costs $80 to $150 per pound, making even minor refrigerant leaks prohibitively expensive to fix. A new 16 SEER2 system uses approximately 38 percent less energy than a 10 SEER unit, and many qualify for the federal energy tax credit. KIC Refrigeration helps Burlingame homeowners evaluate repair versus replacement based on equipment age, repair history, refrigerant type, and projected energy savings.
What our customers say about working with our HVAC team.
"Air duct cleaning was good. They used a camera to show me before and after which I appreciated. The crew was respectful and wore shoe covers inside."
"KIC Refrigeration installed our new heat pump system and the difference is incredible. Our energy bills dropped noticeably the very first month."
"They installed a new AC unit for us and it has been running flawlessly all summer. Quiet, efficient, and the install crew was great to work with."