Air Conditioning Repair and Installation in Eugene & Salem, 24/7
When your house won't cool, we find what failed in your air conditioner and repair it, in Eugene, Springfield, Salem and Keizer. When repair stops making sense, we size and install new central air instead, and we answer emergency AC calls 24/7.
Air conditioning services we provide
James Heating & Air Conditioning repairs, replaces and tunes up central air conditioners in Eugene, Springfield, Salem and Keizer homes, and adds cooling to houses that have only ever had a furnace. Our EPA 608 certified technicians handle the refrigerant work on each job.
AC repair
Most repairs come down to a capacitor, a contactor, a fan motor, a clogged drain or a refrigerant leak. Our technicians replace a part only when testing points to it, so you aren't paying for guesses.
Emergency AC calls
We answer AC emergency calls 24/7, nights and weekends included. When a heat wave hits, describe what the outdoor unit and the vents are doing, and the office books the first visit it can.
Refrigerant leak repair
A low charge means a leak somewhere, because an AC doesn't use refrigerant up. Our technicians test for the leak and repair it before recharging, since topping off a leaking system means buying refrigerant again next summer.
Central AC replacement
When the outdoor unit is worn out, we replace it along with a matching indoor coil. We size the new system with a Manual J load calculation instead of copying the number on the old label.
Adding central air to a furnace
Many valley houses have a furnace and ducts but no cooling. We install a condenser outdoors and a coil on the furnace, and your existing blower and ducts carry the cool air, the simplest route to adding central air in an older house.
Spring AC tune-ups
A spring AC tune-up lets us catch a weak capacitor, a dirty coil or a clogged drain before the first hot week, when the phones ring hardest. We clean the outdoor coil properly at that visit.
Checks you can make before you call us
None of these four checks needs tools.
On a 100°F afternoon, a healthy AC can still run nonstop and sit a few degrees above the setting. Home systems are sized for a normal valley summer, not a heat dome like June 2021, when Eugene hit 111°F.
- Thermostat. Set it to COOL a few degrees below room temperature with the fan on AUTO, and fit fresh batteries, since a screen can look normal on weak ones.
- Breakers and the outdoor switch. Central air has a breaker for the indoor fan, another for the outdoor unit, and a shutoff box on the wall beside the condenser. Reset a tripped breaker once, and leave it off if it trips again.
- Air filter. Hold it up to a light. If you can't see through it, replace it, because a choked filter starves the coil of air and can freeze it.
- Outdoor unit. Clear off cottonwood fluff and grass clippings, then, with the power off at the switch box, rinse the fins gently with a garden hose, never a pressure washer.
Signs your air conditioner needs a repair visit
Each sign below points to a particular part, so mention the one you're seeing when you call. Smell burning or hear a loud buzz? Switch the system off at the thermostat before anything else.
Warm air from the vents
Run the four checks above first. If the thermostat, breakers and filter are fine and the outdoor fan spins, warm air points to low refrigerant or a failing compressor, the two most serious reasons an AC blows warm air.
Ice on the copper lines
Ice on the thicker insulated line means the indoor coil froze. Set the thermostat to OFF and the fan to ON for a few hours to thaw it. If the ice returns, we test for low airflow or a leak.
Water around the furnace
In summer, water near the furnace usually traces to a clogged condensate drain, the pipe that carries water off the indoor coil. A float switch may have shut the AC down to keep the air conditioner from leaking water across the floor.
Buzzing with no start
A hum from the outdoor unit while its fan sits still points to a failing capacitor or contactor, the electrical parts that start the motors. Stay out of that panel, because the capacitor can hold a dangerous charge with the power off.
Squealing
A high squeal comes from a worn motor bearing or belt, and we replace both. Running the system with that noise can finish off the motor, so switch it off and call rather than waiting it out.
Rattling or clanking
Rattling means a loose panel or debris caught in the outdoor fan, one of the loud AC noises that gets worse if the unit keeps running. Turn it off and call instead of reaching in.
How we handle each refrigerant your AC might use
The refrigerant named on your outdoor unit's label tells us more about repair or replace than the install date does. Each one changes our advice in a different way.
R-22
Usually found inACs installed before about 2010
Where it stands nowNot made or imported in the US since 2020; only recycled stock is left
What a leak means for youRecycled R-22 is scarce and costly, so a leak usually means replacing the AC
R-410A
Usually found inMost ACs installed from about 2010 through 2024
Where it stands nowNot banned. The EPA is cutting the supply, so recharges cost more
What a leak means for youWe find and fix the leak, then recharge
R-454B or R-32
Usually found inMost new split systems
Where it stands nowRated "mildly flammable," so the equipment has added safety features and installers follow extra rules
What a leak means for youA new outdoor unit needs a matching indoor coil
We may still install R-410A units built before 2025 while that stock lasts, but it's the exception. Ice on the lines, warm air at the vents and longer run times are low refrigerant symptoms worth a call before the compressor takes damage.
When we recommend repair and when we recommend a new AC
ENERGY STAR suggests considering a replacement once an air conditioner passes about 10 years old, but how long an air conditioner lasts depends more on leaks and upkeep than on the date. A leak-free unit with one failed part is worth fixing at most ages. A failed compressor, or a leak on an R-22 unit, changes the math, and that's when we put the repair price and the replacement price side by side for you.
If your furnace is near the end too, weigh both together with repair or replace your heating and cooling.
What's different about the new air conditioners we install
A new central AC runs the same way at home as the old one did. Three things changed behind the scenes, and each one affects what you buy.
- SEER2 minimum. SEER2 is the miles-per-gallon number for cooling. Oregon requires at least 13.4 SEER2 for a new split-system AC, since the state sits in the federal North region, and our installers confirm the rating before ordering.
- The label. ENERGY STAR stopped certifying central air conditioners in February 2026, so a labelled central cooling system is now a heat pump. You can still buy a plain AC, just without the label.
- Rebates. A plain central AC rarely earns a utility rebate, and the federal 25C tax credit ended for equipment installed after December 31, 2025. Swap electric heat for a heat pump instead and EWEB, SUB and Energy Trust each pay heat pump rebates set by your utility.
Why a heat pump can be your air conditioner
A heat pump is an air conditioner that also runs in reverse to heat your house, so we price one beside a plain AC whenever you're replacing the outdoor unit. James Heating installs Ruud heat pumps from both its Eugene and Salem offices. Through a mild Willamette Valley winter it can carry much of the heating, with your furnace taking over on the coldest days.
A plain AC still suits plenty of homes, particularly where the furnace is fairly new and you only want cooling.
How our AC repair visit works
A repair visit runs in the same order whether the problem turns out to be a capacitor or a compressor.
- Call the number for your area. Tell us what the AC is doing, and the office quotes the diagnostic fee when you book.
- We test before touching a part. That means the thermostat, the start-up electrical parts, refrigerant pressures, airflow, coil and drain.
- You hear the cause and the price. We explain what failed and why, and the repair price comes in writing before work starts.
- We repair it and check the cooling. The visit ends with the system running and cooling.
- Ordered parts mean a second visit. If the part isn't on the truck, we come back to fit it.
How we size and install a new central air conditioner
Sizing comes first, because an AC copied from the old unit's label can be the wrong size for the house you live in now.
- Load calculation. Our crew runs a Manual J, a room-by-room check of insulation, windows and sun exposure.
- Airflow match. We match the new AC to what your furnace blower and ducts can move.
- Written options. You review them with us, and the price turns on the equipment and any duct, wiring or furnace work.
- Install. Our crew installs the new equipment and measures the refrigerant level.
- Start-up. We walk you through the thermostat, and the inspector signs off afterward.
Why homeowners choose us for AC repair and installation
James Heating has served Willamette Valley homes as a family-owned company since 1983, serving Lane County and the Mid-Valley.
- Licensed, bonded and insured under Oregon CCB #47396.
- Ruud Authorized Dealer, plus Rheem Authorized Dealer in the Salem area.
- Local technicians. Our technicians work out of Eugene and Salem, so help comes from your end of the valley.
- One team after the install. The people who put in your AC handle its tune-ups and repairs later.
Air conditioning questions
What does an AC repair cost?
We quote after testing, because the failed part and how hard it is to reach set the price. A capacitor or a plugged drain is a small repair, a fan motor costs more, and a leak or a failed compressor is the largest. For a new system, house size, the efficiency rating and any duct or wiring work set the price of a new air conditioner, and swapping the furnace in the same visit makes it a bigger HVAC system installation with its own cost drivers.
Do I need a permit to replace my air conditioner?
Yes. Oregon requires a mechanical permit to install or replace central air, even for a straight swap of the outdoor unit, and we pull it as part of the job.
Should I buy a bigger AC to handle heat waves?
No. An oversized AC chills the air fast and shuts off before it pulls out moisture, so the house feels cold and clammy, and the constant restarts wear it out sooner. A correctly sized system runs longer, steadier cycles.
Should I run my AC when wildfire smoke settles in?
Yes. Keep the windows shut and run it as usual, since it recirculates and filters indoor air. Use the highest-rated filter your system can take without choking airflow, and change it after heavy smoke. If smoke still lingers indoors, we install whole-home air cleaning for wildfire smoke that works through your ducts.
Can you add air conditioning to a house with no ducts?
Yes. We install a ductless heat pump, also called a mini-split, which puts small indoor units in the rooms you want cooled and heats them in winter too.
Our air conditioning service areas
We book AC work across Lane County and the Mid-Valley. Cooling a shop or office instead? James Heating also services commercial air conditioning for those buildings.
What our customers say
"Your crew did a great job installing our air conditioner & I felt very comfortable with their knowledge and expertise. I can tell service is very important to your company because of that I will recommend James Heating every chance I get."
M. Morgan
"We are very pleased with the professional attitude and workmanship that your technician did for us. We will surely recommend your company to our friends."
K. Thiele
Gallery
See James Heating and Air Conditioning at work. Explore our gallery of residential and commercial HVAC installations and repair services.
Call for AC repair or a new system
Tell the office what your AC is doing and roughly how old it is. For a repair, we test it and price the fix; for a new system, we measure the house and write up the options. Call Eugene at (541) 461-2101 or Salem at (503) 581-9982 at any hour, or send us a message.
Call Eugene at (541) 461-2101 or Salem at (503) 581-9982, day or night.
Oregon CCB #47396 · Family-owned since 1983 · Ruud Authorized Dealer (Eugene and Salem) · Rheem Authorized Dealer (Salem)
