Coil, capacitor, refrigerant, drain line and airflow.
AC in March or April, heating in October or November.
Ask before you book. Repairs get a free quote.
What you can check yourself each month.
Once a year for an AC, in spring. Add a heating check in the autumn if you have a furnace. A heat pump should have both.
Often 10 to 15 years. Units that run flat out and never get serviced fail sooner, and a well kept one can pass 15.
Prices differ between companies, so ask when you book. A fair company can quote the price on the phone and tell you what is on the checklist.
Yes. Change the filter, keep the outdoor unit clear, and watch the drain line. Leave the electrical and refrigerant work to a trained technician.
Yes. It catches the failing parts and gives you a straight view on how long the system has left. See the repair overview if something is already wrong.
A proper tune up cleans the outdoor coil, tests the capacitor and contactor, measures refrigerant pressures, flushes the condensate line, checks airflow and tightens electrical connections. Ask for the checklist when you book.
Check it monthly and change it every one to three months. During cedar pollen season, from December to February, and in spring, look at it every few weeks.
It can be, if it includes two real visits a year, priority booking in writing and a repair discount. A plan that is only a discount card is not worth paying for.
Yes. In a Texas summer it is usually better to raise the thermostat a few degrees while you are out than to switch the system off, because a house that heats fully takes hours to cool again.
A musty smell usually means moisture and mildew on the indoor coil, in the drain pan or in the ducts. Replace the filter and check the drain line. If the smell stays, a technician should clean the coil and pan.
Change the filter on schedule, keep the outdoor unit clear, close the blinds on the west side in the afternoon and seal duct leaks in the attic. A yearly tune up catches the rest.