Short answer
An AC tune-up in New Orleans covers cleaning the outdoor coil, flushing the condensate drain and testing the float switch, testing the capacitor, contactor and fan motor, checking refrigerant pressures and temperature split, checking the filter, and inspecting the indoor coil and blower. Spring, before the long heat, is the best time. Systems that run most of the year can use a second check in late summer.
What a tune-up actually prevents
Most summer no-cool calls are parts that were already weak in spring: a capacitor drifting out of range, a contactor with pitted points, a drain line growing slime, a coil matted with grass clippings. A tune-up finds them while they are cheap to fix and before they fail on the hottest afternoon of the year.
It also keeps efficiency up. A clean outdoor coil and a clean indoor coil move heat with less effort, and a correct charge keeps the compressor running cool. Winter heating gets its own check in a heating tune-up.
What an AC tune-up covers
- Outdoor coil cleaned and fins combed
- Capacitor, contactor and fan motor tested
- Refrigerant pressures and temperature split checked
- Filter replaced or checked
- Indoor coil and blower inspected
- Drain flushed and float switch tested
- Notes on wear, with prices
The spring pre-season check
In spring we start outside: power off, debris cleared, the outdoor coil cleaned from the inside out, the fan motor and blade checked, and the capacitor and contactor tested against their ratings. Then we move inside to the filter, blower, indoor coil and drain. With the system running we measure the temperature split, refrigerant pressures and amp draws, and compare them with the unit's specifications. You get notes on anything that is wearing, with prices, so nothing is replaced without your say.
Coil and drain service
The two jobs that matter most in our climate are the coils and the drain. A matted outdoor coil cannot shed heat, and a slimed indoor coil cannot absorb it, so both get attention. The condensate drain is flushed from the air handler to its outlet, the trap is cleared, and the float switch is tested by lifting it, so a clog shuts the system off instead of flooding a ceiling. Where drains clog every year, we talk about treatment tablets or a cleanout tee.
Tune-up incentives in Jefferson Parish
For homes served by Entergy Louisiana, including many in Jefferson Parish, the utility has offered $150 toward an A/C tune-up done through participating trade allies, alongside up to $500 per heat pump. Utilities pay toward tune-ups because clean, correctly charged systems draw less power on the hottest afternoons. Check the current program terms and the trade ally list before you book a visit.
How a tune-up runs
- Outside firstDebris cleared, coil cleaned, fan checked.
- Electrical partsCapacitor, contactor and wiring tested.
- InsideFilter, blower, coil and drain.
- Run and measureTemperature split, pressures and amp draws.
- ReportNotes on wear, with prices for anything we recommend.
What decides the cost of a tune-up
We have no sourced local price range for tune-ups, so here is what moves the price.
- Number of systems. Each system is serviced separately.
- Access. Tight attics and rooftop units take longer.
- Coil condition. A heavily matted coil takes extra cleaning.
- Parts found. Weak capacitors or contactors replaced at the visit add to it.
- Combined visits. Booking heating and cooling together can save a trip.
What you can do between visits
Safe to do yourself
- Check the filter every month or two in summer
- Keep plants, grass and debris two feet from the outdoor unit
- Pour a cup of vinegar into the drain cleanout in summer, if there is one
Leave to a technician
- Opening electrical panels or testing capacitors
- Checking or adding refrigerant
- Cleaning the indoor coil