A San Antonio air conditioner works harder than almost any system in the country. From May through September it can run sixteen hours a day, and every one of those hours is wear on a compressor, a capacitor, and a set of coils that nobody has looked at since the last time something broke. A spring tune-up is not an upsell — it is the difference between a $200 part replaced in April and a $1,200 emergency call in August.
Start with the condenser coil. That's the outdoor unit, and in this part of Texas it fills with cottonwood, grass clippings, and dust every single year. A coil coated in debris can't reject heat, so head pressure climbs, the compressor draws more amps, and your electric bill goes up while your house gets less comfortable. Cleaning it is straightforward and it makes an immediate, measurable difference.
Next, the electrical components. Capacitors are the single most common failure we see in San Antonio, and they fail predictably — they weaken before they die. A capacitor rated at 45 microfarads that tests at 38 is going to strand somebody on a 102-degree afternoon. Testing it takes two minutes; replacing it proactively costs a fraction of an emergency call.
Then the condensate drain. Humid air across a cold coil produces a lot of water, and that water leaves through a drain line that grows algae all summer. When it clogs, the overflow switch shuts your system down — or worse, if there's no switch, water finds your ceiling. A flush and treatment in the spring prevents both.
Finally, measurements. Refrigerant pressures, superheat and subcool, temperature split across the coil, and static pressure in the ductwork. These numbers tell you whether the system is actually performing or just running. A tune-up without measurements is a car wash, not a service.
Warning signs you shouldn't wait on: the system runs constantly without reaching the thermostat setting, some rooms are noticeably warmer than others, you hear a hum or a click when it tries to start, your electric bill jumped without a change in habits, or you see ice on the refrigerant lines. Any one of those means call now, while it's still a repair and not a replacement.
BB&M AC and Heating provides spring tune-ups across San Antonio and the surrounding area. Call (210) 876-7140 to get on the schedule before the heat arrives.