AC Maintenance in Alabaster, AL
Air conditioners here run from May through September, so April is the time for a tune-up. Tell us about your system, and a licensed contractor who covers Shelby County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Five months of Alabaster heat is hard on a system
Your air conditioner runs from May through September here, with summer afternoons averaging 90°F. That is five straight months of work for the compressor and the fan motor, with little break in between.
A tune-up checks the refrigerant charge, tests the capacitor and contactor under load, and clears the coil so the system is not working harder than it needs to. Catching a weak part before summer means it gets replaced on your schedule, not in the middle of a stretch of 90-degree days.
- 5 months
- May through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 90°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 18 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 94 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Book your AC tune-up in April, before homes here start needing cooling in May.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
A tune-up checks the refrigerant charge, cleans the coils, tests the capacitor and tightens the electrical connections.
Alabama requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The state tests and records the contractor, not the job. The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors has checked this contractor's qualifications and keeps them on file. It does not mean an inspector signs off on your maintenance visit.
For a maintenance call, the license is what stands behind the person in your driveway. If the technician checks refrigerant levels or opens that side of your system, federal law also requires them to hold EPA Section 608 certification, no matter what state they work in. That certification is separate from the Alabama license. It says the person handling refrigerant is trained to do it without venting it into the air.
Source: Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors
- What does AC maintenance include?
- A technician checks refrigerant pressure, cleans the outdoor coil, and tests the capacitor and contactor that start the compressor. They also check the drain line for clogs and change or check the filter. On the indoor side, they check the blower motor and look at the evaporator coil for dirt or ice. In a hail-prone area like Alabaster, they should also check the outdoor unit's fins and coil for storm damage, since bent fins restrict airflow and make the system work harder.
- How often does an air conditioner need maintenance?
- Once a year, ideally before the cooling season starts. Alabaster homes run their AC from May through September, so having it checked in spring catches problems before the 90°F afternoons arrive. A yearly visit also gives someone a chance to look over the unit after winter storms, since hail and wind can dent the outdoor coil without leaving an obvious sign.
- Is AC maintenance worth it?
- Yes, because most breakdowns start as small problems that show up during an inspection before they leave you without cooling during the summer. A dirty coil or a weak capacitor gets caught and dealt with instead of failing on a 90°F afternoon. It also gives a licensed contractor a look at the unit after storm season, which matters here given how often hail and high wind hit the area.