A maintenance visit is a set of measurements. Gauges go on the refrigerant, a meter on the capacitor, a clamp on the compressor and a thermometer on the air, and each number gets compared with what the manufacturer says it should be.
That is how a weak part gets found in spring instead of on the hottest afternoon of the year. Cleaning the coil and clearing the drain are part of it, but they are not the point.
The parts that fail in summer follow a pattern. The run capacitor drifts below its rating, the outdoor coil mats over with dust and fluff, and the drain line silts up. Each one shows up on a meter or in a pressure reading months before it stops the system.
Why people call us for AC maintenance
- Preparing for summer
- Bills creeping up
- Weak airflow
- Unit is loud on start-up
- Warranty requires annual service
A full check, priced before we book
- Coil and drain cleaning
- Refrigerant charge check
- Connections checked and tightened
- Filter replaced
- Written condition report
How a maintenance visit goes
Book before the season the system works hardest: air conditioners in spring, furnaces in fall, heat pumps both. The visit is a set of measurements. Gauges go on the refrigerant, a meter on the capacitor, a clamp on the compressor and a thermometer on the air, and each number is compared with what the manufacturer says it should be.
The outdoor coil gets cleaned the way its maker specifies, the drain line is cleared and the filter is checked. Then you hear what the numbers were and what they mean.
If something is drifting, you get a written price to deal with it and you decide. Nothing gets swapped on the spot without your say-so. A tune-up is not the $69 diagnostic; call and you will hear the price of a maintenance visit before you book.
We repair, maintain and install these brands. Logos identify the equipment we work on and do not imply endorsement by the manufacturer.
Before you call
A padded tune-up is a rinse and a filter
A real one measures: refrigerant charge by superheat or subcooling, the capacitor in microfarads, compressor amperage against the data plate. If the invoice says system checked and no numbers, nothing was measured. Read more
The five jobs you can safely do
Check the filter every month. Give the outdoor unit room to breathe. Clear the condensate drain line. Set the thermostat and leave it. Walk the vents and make sure none are closed or blocked. Everything electrical or refrigerant is ours. Read more
Clean the outdoor coil the way the maker says
Manufacturers differ. Some allow a gentle rinse from outside with the power off at the disconnect; others want it cleaned from the inside out by a technician. A pressure washer folds the fins flat and makes it worse. Read more
Before a heat wave, pre-cool
Set the thermostat a little lower in the morning and let the house coast through the afternoon peak. A system that is asked to pull a hot house down at 4pm on a 105-degree day is running at its limit. Read more
Goes well with a tune-up
Common questions
Measurements, not chores: refrigerant charge checked by superheat or subcooling, the capacitor read in microfarads, compressor amperage against the data plate and the temperature split across the coil, plus cleaning the outdoor coil and clearing the drain. If nothing was measured, it was a rinse and a filter change. Read more
Once a year for an air conditioner or a furnace, before the season it works hardest. A heat pump runs in both seasons, so it gets two visits: spring and fall. Read more
Change the filter on schedule, keep leaves and debris away from the outdoor unit, and keep supply and return vents open. Anything involving refrigerant, sealed electrical compartments or gas parts is for a licensed technician. Read more
Check your manual first, because manufacturers differ. Some say a gentle rinse from the outside with the power off at the disconnect is fine. Others want a technician to clean the coil from the inside out. Never use a pressure washer: it folds the fins flat. Read more
No. The $69 diagnostic is for when something is wrong, and it is credited toward the work if you go ahead. A tune-up is a scheduled check on a system that is running. Call and we will tell you the price before you book.
Yes. We are open seven days, 6am to 10pm.
A dirty coil insulates like a blanket, so the system runs longer for the same result, and a low charge does the same while it slowly cooks the compressor. Both show up on a maintenance visit. The cheapest fixes for a high bill are usually these, not new equipment. Read more
“David was great and super helpful, got our AC back and running within an hour! He was also very flexible with my rescheduling which I really appreciated.”
Schedule service
Fill in the form or call. We are on the phones 6am–10pm.
818-277-5056Licensed #1119892 · Veteran-owned · Pasadena & Reseda