Who should you call when your AC stops?

Start with who owns the problem. If you own the home, call a licensed HVAC contractor. If you rent, your landlord has duties, so start there. If a home warranty covers the system, read the contract before you call anyone, since the warranty company may require its own provider.

When is it an HVAC pro?

When the system is not cooling, the outdoor unit won’t run, the coil is iced, refrigerant is low or a part has failed. In Arizona, residential air conditioning work falls under the Registrar of Contractors’ R-39 classification, which covers installing and repairing comfort AC, evaporative cooling and heating. Narrower R-39R subclassifications exist too. Check a pro’s license at roc.az.gov. Climate Pros Tucson matches you with licensed independent pros. We don’t do the work ourselves.

Refrigerant work is its own category. Technicians who service equipment that could release refrigerant must be EPA Section 608 certified.

When is it an electrician?

When the problem is the power supply: a breaker that won’t hold, a dead outlet at the disconnect or a panel issue. An HVAC pro with an R-39 license may add a circuit to an existing panel but may not install a new service panel or sub-panel. If the panel itself needs work, that’s an electrical job.

What about a handyman?

Arizona’s handyman exemption covers casual, minor work under $1,000 in aggregate that doesn’t need a local building permit. A replacement air conditioner in the City of Tucson needs a permit, so that exemption doesn’t cover it. A small fix like a thermostat battery is fine for anyone. Anything beyond that, use a licensed contractor.

What if you rent?

Arizona law requires a landlord to supply reasonable heat and reasonable air conditioning or cooling where such units are installed, and to keep HVAC facilities in good and safe working order. In Tucson, the Arizona Attorney General says rentals cooled by air conditioning may not exceed 82F in habitable rooms, and evaporative-cooled units 86F. Put your request in writing and keep a copy. Read does a landlord have to fix AC in Arizona.

What about a home warranty?

A home warranty is a separate service contract, and it differs from a manufacturer warranty that comes with the equipment. Compare overlap, total price, deductibles, exclusions and who provides the repair. Read the written terms first. See does a home warranty cover HVAC.

What should you ask any repair company?

Ask whether they’re licensed with the ROC, what their diagnostic fee is, whether it applies toward the repair and whether a tech is available, yes or no. HomeGuide lists $75 to $200 for an AC diagnostic, as a national figure for finding the problem, not fixing it (checked October 2026). The written quote from the pro is the number that counts for your home. Ask for the price before work starts. Our guides on how to choose an HVAC contractor and AC repair scams to avoid go further.

Service pages: AC repair and emergency HVAC. Start at the Tucson HVAC hub.

When to call us

If you own the home and the AC is down, call (520) 353-2520 and we’ll match you with a licensed local pro.