AC tune-ups, Beaumont, Texas
AC maintenance and coil cleaning
A cooling system that runs most of the year collects dirt, pollen and algae faster than one that runs for a short summer. Maintenance is about catching that buildup before it trips a safety switch in July.
What a maintenance visit usually covers
Checklists differ between contractors. Most include these items:
- Cleaning the outdoor coil from the inside out and straightening bent fins.
- Inspecting the indoor coil and the blower wheel for dust mats.
- Flushing the condensate drain and checking the float switch and secondary pan.
- Testing the capacitor, contactor and wiring connections.
- Measuring the temperature drop across the coil and the refrigerant pressures.
- Checking the filter size and fit.
The drain line deserves extra attention
Damp air gives the coil a lot of water to shed, and the drain line carries it outside. Algae grows in that warm, wet pipe. When it clogs, water fills the pan, and on an attic unit the next stop is the ceiling drywall.
Find where your line ends outside. On a working system it drips steadily on hot afternoons. If it stays dry while the AC runs, the water is going somewhere else. The frozen coil and drain guide explains the signs.
Things you can do between visits
Change or wash the filter on the schedule its packaging gives, and sooner during pollen season or after work that raises dust indoors. Keep grass, shrubs and stored items a couple of feet clear of the outdoor unit. Rinse loose debris off the fins with a gentle stream from a hose, never a pressure washer, with the power off at the disconnect.
Leave refrigerant, electrical parts and the inside of the cabinet to a licensed contractor.
Entergy Texas tune-up program
Entergy Texas has run an A/C tune-up program called CoolSaver. When this page was written, its program page said enrollment was at capacity and would reopen in the spring. Check the page before booking, and ask the contractor whether they take part.
Common questions
How often should the system be serviced?
Many owners book a visit each spring before the heat sets in. Systems that also heat the house may get a second check in the fall.
Does maintenance include duct cleaning?
No. This site does not cover duct cleaning. A tune-up looks at the equipment itself.
Can I clean the indoor coil myself?
The indoor coil sits inside a sealed cabinet next to the blower and electrical parts. That is a job for the contractor.
Where these facts come from
Get a heating and cooling contractor on the phone
Say what the system is doing and how old it is, if you know. The person you reach works for an independent contractor in Southeast Texas, not for this website.