HVAC Repair Cost: Hourly Rates, Parts, and Emergency Fees (3 References)

HVAC repair costs $150 to $450 on average, with most homeowners paying $293 to $350 per visit.¹² Technicians charge $75 to $250 per hour plus a service call fee of $75 to $250.¹²³ Simple fixes like a capacitor run $100 to $250; a compressor replacement reaches $800 to $3,000.¹² Prices below are national averages* for 2026.

*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on the failed part, system type, timing (emergency vs. scheduled), and local labor rates.

$293 – $350

average repair visit

$75 – $250

per hour labor

$75 – $250

service call fee

$349 – $650

furnace repair range, Fixr

Quick math: Angi says labor can be half the repair cost — on its $350 average, that is about $175 in labor, our arithmetic, roughly the service call plus an hour.¹ The hourly rates disagree: Angi quotes $100 to $250, HomeGuide $75 to $150, Fixr $87 to $162.¹²³ On a 3-hour job that spread is $225 to $750, our arithmetic — worth asking the rate before the visit.

Cost by system

System	Common failures	Repair cost (Angi)
Air conditioner	Drain line clog, compressor failure	$450 – $2,000
Furnace	Mineral buildup, clogged valves	$130 – $1,200
Heat pump	Dirty coil, broken fan motor	$200 – $2,000
Mini-split	Refrigerant leak, compressor issue	$300 – $550
Split system	Compressor malfunction, motor issues	$200 – $300
Packaged system	Electrical glitches, thermostat issues	$450 – $550

HomeGuide’s per-visit averages split by season: $319 for AC service, $268 for furnace service.² Fixr’s furnace-only data puts the average at $485 — higher because it includes parts-heavy jobs like heat exchangers, not just service calls.³

Cost by part

Repair	Angi	HomeGuide
Capacitor	$100 – $250	$100 – $250
Ignitor	$150 – $300	—
Thermostat	$150 – $350	$75 – $575
Fan or blower motor	$200 – $700	$200 – $700
Circuit board	$100 – $600	$150 – $700
Heat exchanger	$100 – $1,500	—
Evaporator coil	$600 – $2,400	$650 – $2,400
Compressor	$800 – $3,000	$1,300 – $2,500
Duct repair	$500 – $2,000	—

The sources agree closely on parts — capacitor and fan motor bands match exactly.¹² The compressor is the tipping point: at $800 to $3,000 for the repair, replacement of an older system starts to make sense instead (a full AC replacement can reach $7,500, Angi).¹

Labor, service calls, and emergency rates

Expect a service call or diagnostic fee of $75 to $250 — HomeGuide notes most companies apply it to the first hour of labor.¹² Hourly rates then run $75 to $250 depending on source and region.¹²³ Emergency and after-hours work roughly doubles the rate: $140 to $250 per hour on the low end, $400 to $600 on the high end (HomeGuide), though some contractors add only $40 to $80 per hour for weekends.² Tune-ups cost $70 to $200; annual service plans run $150 to $500 per year and usually include one or two tune-ups.²¹

Worked examples

Example 1 — dead capacitor, scheduled visit. Angi and HomeGuide both price it at $100 to $250 total, part and labor included.¹² If the tech bills it hourly instead: $75 to $200 service call covering the first hour + part, our arithmetic from HomeGuide’s terms — roughly the same range.²

Example 2 — furnace repair, low vs. high. Fixr’s low-end job is $90 (service call plus a new limit switch); its high-end job is $2,000 (new heat exchanger). The $485 average sits between them because most jobs are mid-size parts, our reading of its distribution.³

Example 3 — emergency vs. scheduled, 2-hour job. Scheduled at $75 to $150 per hour: $150 to $300 labor, our arithmetic.² Emergency at $140 to $250 per hour: $280 to $500.² The same repair costs $130 to $200 more after hours, our arithmetic — if the system can safely wait until morning, waiting pays.

FAQ

Is the service call fee extra? Usually it is the first charge, but most companies apply it toward the first hour of labor if you approve the repair (HomeGuide).²

When should I replace instead of repair? When the repair approaches half the replacement cost — a $2,000+ compressor or heat exchanger on a 15-year-old system rarely pencils out, since full AC replacement runs up to $7,500 (Angi).¹²

How much is emergency service? Roughly double the regular rate: $140 to $250 per hour typical, up to $400 to $600 (HomeGuide).²

Are maintenance plans worth it? At $150 to $500 per year they cost about the same as one to two tune-ups ($70 to $200 each) and often include priority scheduling — reasonable if your system is older.¹²

What can I DIY? Filters and thermostat batteries only. Refrigerant, electrical, and gas work need a licensed tech; the service call is cheaper than a misdiagnosis.¹²

DIY shopping: a fresh furnace filter every 1 to 3 months is the one repair-prevention job every homeowner can do (plain link, no affiliate relationship).

Sources

Angi, How Much Does HVAC Repair Cost? (2026 data).
HomeGuide, How Much Does HVAC Repair Cost? (2026).
Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Furnace? (2026 data).