A tune-up is an hour with the system while it still works. The technician spots the component that is close to failing and the buildup that is making everything else run hot, and you deal with it on a scheduled visit instead of on the hottest Saturday in July.
What Is Included
- Capacitor and contactor tested under load, not just by eye
- Refrigerant pressures with superheat and subcooling
- Outdoor condenser coil washed from the inside out
- Indoor evaporator coil inspected for buildup
- Condensate drain flushed and the float switch tested
- Compressor and motor amp draw recorded
- Temperature split measured across the coil
- Electrical connections tightened, disconnect checked
- Thermostat operation and filter condition
You get a written sheet with the readings, the items that checked out, and the ones that will not last another summer. When everything checks out, the sheet says exactly that.
Why It Matters More Here
Wedgwood lots have mature trees, and the cottonwood and live oak debris ends up packed into condenser fins by June. A coil that cannot shed heat makes the compressor run longer at higher pressure. The photo above is what an evaporator coil looks like after a few years without a filter change. Airflow through that is a fraction of what the system was designed for.
The capacitor is the other item. It reads weak in April on a scheduled visit. It fails on a July weekend when every shop in Fort Worth is backed up for days. Same part, very different afternoon.
How Often
Once a year in spring covers most systems. Units past ten years, or ones on the west side of the house in full sun, benefit from a fall visit to the heating side too. We do not sell maintenance contracts that renew on their own. Call when you want the visit.
Between Visits
- Change the filter every 30 to 60 days in summer. Attic returns in this neighborhood load up fast.
- Keep two feet of clearance around the condenser. Shrubs planted against the unit cut airflow.
- Pour a cup of white vinegar down the condensate drain line once a month to slow algae.
- If you hear the outdoor unit hum but the fan does not spin, shut it off at the thermostat and call. Running it that way damages the compressor.