Full Time Heating and Cooling · Watertown, MN
AC Repair and Installation Built Around Honest Diagnostics
24/7 Emergency Service5.0 · 211 Local ReviewsMN License MB792165
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What Comes With Every AC Repair Call
Details below
We don't patch the obvious symptom and leave. Every repair includes a full system check so you know what condition your equipment is actually in.
Electrical and Safety Inspection
Refrigerant and Cooling Efficiency Check
System Performance Evaluation
An A/C installation technician working on an outdoor air conditioning unit mounted on a residential home's exterior wall.
AC Installation and Replacement — When It Actually Makes Sense
Honestly, a lot of homeowners get pushed into replacement earlier than they need to. A 12-year-old unit that's had one repair in its life is often worth fixing. A 14-year-old unit that's been patched four times in three summers, running on an outdated refrigerant, is probably not. We'll tell you which situation you're in without a sales pitch attached to it.
When replacement is the right call, we install AirQuest systems. AirQuest isn't the flashiest brand name, but it performs reliably, carries solid warranty coverage, and doesn't come with a premium price tag you're paying for marketing rather than equipment. As an AirQuest Elite Dealer, Full Time can provide two additional years of No Hassle Replacement coverage on qualifying installations, on top of the manufacturer's standard warranty. Jason personally inspects every installation before the job closes, and we use the same two-person crew on every installation, not whoever happens to be available that day.
cooling work — professional service in Watertown, MN
Ductless Mini-Split Installation for Spaces Without Ductwork
Garages, additions, finished basements, sunrooms. Spaces that get left out of the central system or that your existing ductwork can't reach efficiently. Ductless mini-split installation is a practical solution for exactly those situations. You get zoned cooling, no ductwork runs, and a system that can also provide heat in shoulder seasons. We size the equipment for the actual space and handle the full installation including the line set, electrical, and refrigerant charge. No subcontractors. The same crew that installs your central system installs your mini-split.
cooling work — professional service in Watertown, MN
How We Weigh Repair Against Replacement
Repair or replace comes down to a few things: how old the system is, what the repair costs, and how much reliable life is realistically left in the equipment.
A $400 repair on a 10-year-old system is usually money well spent. A $900 repair on an 18-year-old unit is often throwing money at a system that's near the end of its useful life. We'll walk you through the actual numbers for your specific equipment before you make any decision.
A technician performing an A/C tune-up on an outdoor air conditioning unit mounted on the side of a residential home.
Emergency AC Repair — Day or Night
AC failures don't schedule themselves for business hours. When your system goes down on a July weekend night and it's 90 degrees in the house, you don't want to wait until morning. Full Time offers 24/7 emergency service with real availability. Call or text (952) 847-3387 any time. We'll dispatch, give you a 2-hour arrival window, and send a text with your technician's photo and live tracking before they leave for your home. For more detail on how emergency calls work, see our indoor air quality solutions and related service pages, or use the contact page to book.
An A/C installation technician working on an outdoor air conditioning unit mounted on a residential home's exterior wall.
AC Maintenance — What We Check and Why It Matters
An AC system that hasn't been serviced in two or three years is working harder than it needs to. Dirty coils reduce heat transfer efficiency. Low refrigerant runs up your electric bill. A capacitor that's reading low on a meter will fail on the first 95-degree day of summer, not during a mild spring tune-up. Routine HVAC tune-ups catch those things before they become emergency calls. We service all major brands and carry parts for most common equipment, which means fewer return trips when something does need to be replaced. Serving Chaska, Hennepin County, Carver County, Wright County, and McLeod County.
Schedule Cooling Service
Call or text anytime. We'll diagnose the actual problem, tell you what it costs to fix, and let you decide what makes sense. No commission. No pressure. Just a straight answer.
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FAQ Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers below
What is the $5,000 AC rule? +
Multiply your system's age in years by the cost of the repair in dollars. If the result exceeds $5,000, replacement becomes worth evaluating. If it's under $5,000, repair is usually the smarter financial move. For example, a $300 repair on an 8-year-old system produces $2,400, which is a clear repair decision. It's a guideline, not a firm rule. We'll run through the numbers with you before recommending anything.
How much does it cost to fix an AC? +
It depends on what's broken. A capacitor replacement might run $150 to $300. A contactor swap is in the same range. Refrigerant service, depending on the leak source and how much charge is needed, can push into the $300 to $700 range. A compressor failure is a different conversation entirely and often tips the math toward replacement. We won't know the exact figure until we diagnose it. Every job is different. Contact Full Time Heating and Cooling for an accurate estimate.
What if my AC is not cooling even though it's running? +
A system that runs but doesn't cool is usually one of four things: low refrigerant charge, a dirty evaporator or condenser coil restricting heat transfer, a failing compressor that's spinning but not building pressure, or a blower issue that's moving less air than the system needs. Each of those has a different fix and a different cost. Running the system hard when it's not cooling efficiently also drives up wear. Get it diagnosed before the problem compounds.
What is the 3-minute rule for AC? +
After a shutdown, most AC compressors need at least 3 minutes before restarting. Modern systems have time-delay protection built in. If yours is short-cycling, meaning it runs for a few minutes and shuts off repeatedly, that's not a feature. It's typically a symptom of a refrigerant pressure issue, an oversized system, or a thermostat problem. Short-cycling causes accelerated wear on the compressor, which is the most expensive component in the system.
Do AirQuest air conditioning systems include a warranty, and what does Full Time's Elite Dealer status add? +
Most AirQuest systems qualify for a 10-year parts limited warranty with timely registration. Qualifying products also include a No Hassle Replacement Limited Warranty from the manufacturer. As an AirQuest Elite Dealer, Full Time can add two additional years of No Hassle Replacement coverage on qualifying installations beyond what the manufacturer provides. That's real coverage, not a fine-print warranty that excludes the things that actually fail.
How often should a central air conditioner be serviced? +
Once a year, before cooling season. Ideally in April or May before the first heat wave hits and every HVAC company in the metro is backed up two weeks. Annual service keeps the coils clean, confirms the refrigerant charge is correct, catches electrical components that are showing wear, and documents system performance so there's a baseline to compare against if something changes. Skipping service doesn't save money. It just moves the cost to an emergency call in July.
What signs mean it's time to replace an air conditioner rather than repair it? +
Age is the biggest factor. Most central AC systems have a useful life of 15 to 20 years with reasonable maintenance. Beyond that, efficiency drops, parts availability narrows, and repairs get more frequent. If your system uses R-22 refrigerant (phased out in 2020), replacement is increasingly unavoidable because supply is limited and expensive. Multiple repairs in a single season, rising energy bills with no change in usage, and uneven cooling across the house are all signals worth evaluating.
Our promise
If we can repair it, we will.
No unnecessary replacements.You get the fix, not the invoice we would rather write.
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