Mini-Split Repair

Ductless systems fail one zone at a time, which is the first thing worth checking. If a single head has stopped heating or cooling while the others are fine, the fault is usually at that head or its branch, not at the outdoor unit: a plugged condensate line or lift pump, a blocked blower wheel, a communication fault, or a failed indoor board. When every zone is weak at once, attention moves outdoors to charge, the compressor, or the controls. Condensate is the recurring problem in this climate. High-wall heads drain by gravity through a long line, and red-dirt dust plus algae growth blocks it; the first sign is water tracking down the wall below the head. Cleaning the drain is quick work. Leaving it is not. Diagnosis is $95, waived if you approve the repair on the same visit, with labor at $125 per hour during business hours and a one-hour minimum plus parts. Many ductless systems use R-32 refrigerant, which is mildly flammable and handled differently from older refrigerants, so leak work follows separate procedures. If a zone is beyond repair, replacement is quoted for what it is: single zone $3,500 to $6,500, multi-zone $7,000 to $15,000 and up.