AC maintenance and tune-ups in Tampa
A tune-up is a quick, scheduled check of the parts that wear out or clog in Tampa heat and humidity. Here is what it includes, how often to book it, and what you can handle between visits.
Around Carrollwood, Temple Terrace and nearby
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What a tune-up covers
A standard maintenance checklist for central air conditioners and heat pumps gives your tech these cooling items. The order and the extras vary by technician.
- Coils. The indoor (evaporator) and outdoor (condenser) coils are cleaned. Dirt on the indoor coil is the most common cause of poor efficiency.
- Condensate drain line. The coil pulls moisture out of Tampa air, and the drain carries it away. Your tech checks the drain while the system is cooling. Mold, mildew, dirt and debris cause clogs.
- Refrigerant. Your tech checks the level and adjusts it if needed. A system with too much or too little refrigerant will not work properly. EPA requires technicians who service this equipment to be certified under Section 608, so this is never a homeowner task.
- Electrical. Connections are tightened, motor voltage and current are measured, and the controls are run through a start, run and shutdown cycle.
- Airflow. The blower is cleaned and adjusted. Airflow problems can cut efficiency by up to 15 percent.
- Moving parts. Lubricated to cut friction and wasted electricity.
How often in Tampa
One check-up a year is the usual advice, timed for spring. Spring works for Tampa for a second reason. The daily high reaches 90 degrees or more on about 94 days a year, nearly all from May through September. A visit in March or April finds a weak part before those months.
The system also runs into October, when the cooling side of the normals is still high. Your tech can tell you whether one visit or two fits the age and condition of your system. The cost guide shows typical prices for a single tune-up and for a two-visit plan.
Filters and MERV basics
Check the filter every month through the main cooling season, which in Tampa is most of the year.
MERV is a scale of how well a filter captures particles, and it runs from 1 to 16. A MERV 8 filter captures at least 70 percent of particles from 3 to 10 microns. A MERV 13 filter captures at least 85 percent of particles from 1 to 3 microns and at least 90 percent from 3 to 10 microns.
EPA suggests MERV 13, or as high a rating as your system's fan and filter slot can accommodate. That second condition matters. A system built for a thin filter may not move enough air through a dense one, so ask your tech which rating and thickness your equipment can handle.
What you can do between visits
- Filter. Inspect it monthly and change it when it is dirty.
- Outdoor unit. Keep leaves, grass clippings and plants back from the unit so air can move through it. Rinsing and cleaning the coil is a technician's job. Also keep a clothes dryer vent at least 10 feet away.
- Drain line. Pour 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar into the drain line each month, wait 30 minutes, then flush with hot water. Avoid bleach. Drain access points differ by system, so ask your tech where yours is.
- Thermostat. A setting of 78 degrees or higher works well when you are home. Each degree below 78 can raise cooling cost by up to 8 percent.
- Refrigerant. Leave it to your tech. EPA's Section 608 rule prohibits venting it, and an incorrect charge hurts the system.
Why humidity changes the checklist
An air conditioner controls humidity indirectly, as a result of cooling the air. A system that cools without removing enough moisture leaves the house damp, and owners often respond by lowering the thermostat, which raises the bill.
In Tampa, where the mean dew point sits near 75 degrees in July and August, a tune-up should include a look at how the system handles moisture. That means the condition of the coil, the drain and the airflow across the coil. If the house feels clammy at a normal temperature, mention it when your tech calls, since that symptom changes what to look for.
What a visit looks like
- Your tech asks what you have noticed: noises, ice, odors, rooms that run warm, a rise in your bill.
- The thermostat and the filter get checked.
- At the outdoor unit, the coil, the fan and the electrical connections get checked.
- At the indoor unit, the coil, the blower and the drain line get checked.
- Your tech measures how the system is running and checks refrigerant.
- You get a list of what was found, what was done and what is worn. Any repair is quoted separately.
Some companies offer a maintenance plan that covers one or two visits a year. A plan is a contract between you and the company, so read what it includes, what it costs and how to cancel. The cost guide lists a typical range for a two-visit plan.
What to ask your tech
- What is included in the tune-up visit? Can you list it in writing?
- Do you check refrigerant levels and tell me what you found, even when nothing needs adding?
- Will you show me the coils and the drain line, or send photos?
- Is one visit a year enough for my system's age, or should I schedule two?
- What does the visit cost, and what is billed separately if a part is worn?
- Ask for their state license number.
Ready when you are
Call now, or send the form. A local pro calls you back, usually the same business day.
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.