What a useful AC tune-up should include

If you haven't had a tuneup, make sure you do so. If you need a tuneup before the heat happens this weekend because it is going to get hot next week, um, do so. We want to make sure that we're all taken care of. [Music]

We're going to take apart your condenser. We're going to take the top off of it. We're going to take the sides off of it. We're going to wash the coil from the inside out, blowing any debris that we possibly can out of that condenser coil to make sure that there is no man left standing as far as cottonwood is concerned. We're just going to mow them all down. We're also going to check the capacitor to make sure the capacitor is within manufactured specifications because if it's not, it's going to lead to over amping. It's going to lead to over amping. That capacitor is going to fail. If that fails, it's going to fail on the hottest day of the year and meanwhile it's going to be upset because it's going to be on the 4th of July. We're also going to check the contactor. We're going to make sure that ants have haven't decided that they're going to make a home between the two contacts. Whenever that system calls, those contacts just kind of plunge back and forth and we're going to make sure that no ants, no dust, no debris, no pitting, nothing like that has happened and it's visible. You could see it. We've got plenty of pictures where you could see like it should be like a copper or brass color and if we've been actively using it as a pest control deterrent by squashing ants in between it or having pitting issues where we have some problems with the actual electrical connection, it is going to have some like black burning residue which means it is nearing failure. It's going to be nearing the end of its life and it's probably time to replace. >> Your home. >> [music]

Well, I had someone look at it last year. Yeah, who looked at it matters. A tune-up checklist from a big box company and a real diagnostic are two very different things. So, when one of our guys shows up at your house, here's what they're actually doing. Not a 10-point marketing checklist, they're doing a real diagnostic. We're measuring supply and return air temperatures, static pressure in your duct system, refrigerant pressures on both sides. We're checking the amp draw on your compressor and your blower motor, your capacitor health, your contactor condition, your coil cleanliness inside and out. We're not trying to find something to sell you. We're trying to understand what your system is actually doing. Sometimes, everything checks out fine. Sometimes, we find something that you need to know about. Here's where we're different from a lot of companies. If we find something, we'll give you both numbers, what it cost to repair it, and what it would cost to put that money toward something new. And then, we let you decide. >> Your home. >> [singing] [music]

why do you need preventative maintenance on your air conditioning system anyway everything's working great it's cool in the house just fine well I've got a couple of units opened up here that I want to take a look at and show you some potential problems that we could correct before they become an issue with your air conditioning system first thing that I notice is all of this dirt right here okay along with those cobwebs which tell me that at some point there are spiders in there those things can get into these contacts on that contactor prevent it from passing voltage and then year without an air conditioner also at some point this fan motor had been replaced it has potential of dropping down and hitting those the best place for that to be would be up against the wall here strapped in with some metal strap I pulled the disconnect and you can see the difference between this pin and this one now at some point this had gotten hot it had melted and what I noticed is that wire right there had been burned now we've already got it cleaned up and this lug is looks a little bit more weathered than what this lug does move on to the next unit

Three red flags we spotted on this AC system in Norman, Oklahoma. First, the outdoor coil was extremely dirty, so we gave it a deep cleaning to restore air flow. Second, the contacttor was in rough shape, so we replaced it today to keep the system running. And third, the condenser fan motor showed signs of wear, so we recommended replacing it soon. With the coil cleaned and contacttor replaced, this AC is ready to keep the home cool for summer. And shout out to our technician, Joseph, for doing great work. [Music]

Uh, this customer in Blanchard called about a loud noise coming from their outdoor AC unit and we found a a dusty blower wheel, cleared the drain lines and washed the condenser. The capacitor was out of range, so we replaced it under warranty. They signed up as a member to stay on top of maintenance year round, which is awesome and great work by our technician, Nick. [Music]

first thing that I noticed when I walk up on this is the hail damage now this damage is too severe I can't do anything about it but we can clean those cools make sure that they're free-flowing air through everything that it can the second thing that I notice is on this disconnect there is a surge protector and there's a green indicator light supposed to be on it when it's on the units operating correctly when it's off the protection is diminished and the surge protector needs to be replaced right here on this Edge is where that green indicator light is supposed to be and as you can see there is no green indicator light on that thing this thing is no longer protecting and that surge protector needs to be replaced go down here to this unit kind of got all that dirt in there got these cobwebs right here now that contactor has been replaced so at some point that contactor failed because of the dirt or the cobwebs or the spiders that are getting into it keeping it from passing power causing it to Arc and burn up guys all of this can be caught and replaced during our preventative maintenance checks

One big red flag is if the tech that shows up is in and out in 15 minutes. Odds are they did not check your system like they need to. I've got a list here in front of me that has all the things that we check on an AC tune-up and it's so many things that I'm going to read it to you real quick. We're going to go through, you know, to check that full list, we check refrigerant levels. We clean the condenser coil, test capacitors, inspect electrical connections, measure the temperature split, check amp draw on the monitors, flush the condensate drain, test the thermostat calibration and a proper tune-up takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Guys, if anything less than that, people are cutting corners. Your home. >> [singing] [music]

Hey guys, we started this company back in 1988 and I'll tell you summertime in Oklahoma is no joke. Uh before it gets hot, here's five simple things that you can do right now to make sure that your family stays comfortable. First, let's go outside and let's clear anything away from your air conditioner that might be out there leaned up against it where there might be grass, toys, or just anything out there. That's a big deal to give that thing uh some room to breathe. Uh second, let's pull out your air filter, hold it up to the light, and see if see if you can see through it. If you can't, let's go ahead and put in a new one. Third, uh let's pour some white vinegar down your condensate drain line. Uh it'll help keep that thing clear and you know, which helps prevent any water damage inside your home. Fourth, uh go in and drop your thermostat a few degrees and let's let that thing run for about 15 minutes. Let's listen to it. If you hear anything that's unusual or sounds that you might not normally hear, you know, that may be a sign that something's off. Fifth, if your unit's kicking on on and off every couple of minutes, uh let's shut it down and give us a call. We've been taking care of Oklahoma families for over 35 years and we'd be happy to take care of yours, too. Thank you very much. >> Yocum's >> [music]

If you have not had your system maintenance, say you went all summer long, you didn't have a technician come out and look at it. Maybe you haven't had a technician come out and look at it in years. Maybe you're avoiding a technician coming and looking at it like it's the plague. I suggest you don't do that because if we do that, we're going to wait until the system's pretty well beyond repair. Let's not do that. Get it maintenanced. By getting it maintenance, we can prolong the life of the system. We can lower your utility bills and we can ensure that the system that you do have maybe lasts longer. I'm not going to make any promise, but maybe lasts longer. [Music]

When in the world do you call a professional versus what can you do it yourself? So, there's really like three things that are super easy for you to do. You can always go outside and look at your outdoor condensing unit and remove things from the side of it. That's super simple. You can also change your filter. If you're concerned about how to change your filter, go check out our other videos. There's videos of us changing filters all over the place. Third thing you can do is you can pour white vinegar down your condensing drain line. That is a little bit more involved than changing your filter, but totally doable and will save you any sort of backup or drain line issues down the road. Here's where you should probably call a professional. If you notice anything involving electrical looks off, there's loose wires, there's like a rodent, a squirrel just went nuts in your condensing unit and just tore everything to pieces. If you notice anything like that, call a technician. Also, anything revolving around refrigerant issues. You know, if you don't have an EPA license, it's technically illegal. So, the technician should handle that. If you notice any sort of weird out of the ordinary That's a That's a moment to call a technician out. Those things are the main reasons why you should call a technician. You can take care of the other stuff yourself. If you take care of those things, that's going to mitigate 85% of your general summer repair issues. >> Your home >> [music]

The single biggest financial mistake homeowners make when their AC stops cooling isn't calling the wrong company. It's not calling anyone and hoping it gets better. In Oklahoma, that calculation is just absolutely brutal. Our AC systems run the equivalent of 300,000 mi per year. Not because we're negligent by any means, but because the state runs 90 plus degree days from late May through September. And once the lows start hitting 80° in mid-June, the system's running all night, too. You know, it never rests. A system that's underperforming right now in late May will be failing absolutely entirely in July. And the cost of a July failure, both the repair and the consequences of waiting in a 95° heat, is almost always higher than the cost of dealing with it right now.

A proper AC tune-up should cost you somewhere between $100 and $150. And an emergency compressor replacement could cost you somewhere between $2,000 to $4,000. In the middle of July when it's super hot, no one enjoys making that decision. Is an AC tune-up actually worth it? We think so. Let us know down in the comments below. Your home. >> [singing] [music]

Back in August of 2023, Oklahoma was sweltering under a brutal heat wave and KOCO turned to us for expert advice. Dad reminded homeowners that simple maintenance like rinsing coils and changing filters can prevent 80% of summer breakdowns. This year, we're seeing much different weather and instead of tripledigit temps, we're enjoying 70° days. A big shift. We appreciated KCO talking with us. We think dad had a great time discussing ways to keep homes more comfortable. [Music]

Most homeowners had no idea something was wrong until their air conditioner quit on the hottest day of the year. I've walked through a lot of Oklahoma homes and I keep seeing the same problems over and over again. Most of them were completely avoidable. So, let me give you the signs, the things your system is doing right now that most people just ignore. First, your electric bill is creeping up. Not because of a rate increase, not because you're running it more. Same habits, higher bill. That's your system losing efficiency. Second, it runs longer to hit the same temperature. If your system used to cycle off and now it just runs, something is wrong upstream. Third, rooms that used to be comfortable aren't anymore. People close the vents, buy a fan, but uneven cooling is one of the most ignored signs that we see. The real cause is usually duct issues, failing blower, or a system that's undersized for how your home has changed. Fourth, it trips the breaker. Once is a fluke, twice is a pattern. Your compressor's drawing too much amperage and that's a repair or replace conversation. Fifth, you hear something new. Banging, grinding, squealing? Your system is not supposed to be loud. These sounds have causes and the causes get more expensive the longer you wait. >> Your home. >> [singing] [music]

Some people ask us if it's too late to get AC maintenance in August and then we see stuff like this. The answer is uh no, it's not too late. [Music]

if your ac looks like the lint trap after drying a load of towels you might need a tune-up okay if your ac much like toby keith ain't as good as it once was you might need an ac tune up if your indoor air filters look like you could rebuild scruffy with all of his pet dander you might need an ac tune-up if your ac is shaking so much it sounds like it's dancing you might need an ac tune-up if your ac is old enough to drink you might need a replacement [Music]

Can't stress this enough. Changing the filter, cleaning your condenser coil, those two are super important for maintenance. Manufacturers of all compressors say that the thing that leads to most premature compressor failures is lack of air flow. That could be on the indoor unit or on the outdoor unit, causing the components of your system to work harder. Typical tuneup's going to include checking refrigerant pressures, checking the gas pressures, making sure that both of those are set where they need to be for your system to run the most efficiently and the most effectively. That's going to be your standard tuneup.

Every spring, you start seeing ads for $70, $79 AC tune-ups. Is it worth it? Is it a scam? The real question you need to be asking is what are they doing during those AC tune-ups? A lot of times, if you see an ad for $79 or lower AC tune-ups, a lot of times they're just checking the filter, handing you a bill, and you know, that's not an actual AC tune-up. So, being clear on what is an AC tune-up beforehand and then seeing if that price kind of justifies that. Real quick, just full transparency, we've actually done AC tune-ups as low as $29, but what we do on the back end is we make sure we have a full-blown checklist to make sure our guys are actually doing an AC tune-up and not just checking your filters. Your home >> [singing] [music]

All right, Neil. Which is worse for your AC? Ignoring a clogged filter for months or letting furniture block vents and airflow? >> Letting furniture block vents and airflow. >> All right, what's worse for your AC? Letting furniture block vents and airflow or ignoring regular AC maintenance altogether? >> Ignoring regular maintenance altogether. >> All right, what's worse for your AC? Ignoring maintenance or ignoring a small refrigerant leak? >> Ignoring maintenance. >> All right, what's worse for your AC? Ignoring maintenance or frequently cranking the thermostat up and down by big margins all day? >> I would still lean towards ignoring maintenance. >> All right, final question. What's worse for your air conditioner? Ignoring maintenance or neglecting to clear debris around the outdoor unit? >> Ignoring maintenance. It just depends, I guess. But I would say ignoring maintenance. >> Take a bite of that cake. >> Probably you may take a bite. >> So, what's what's your take takeaway on this? >> Do a maintenance. Perform maintenance.

If you've never maintained your system ever. >> You've never had maintenance done. You've never selected for certain items to go go ahead and be taken care of during those, you know, the shoulder and the fall, the spring and the fall. And you've never done any of those repairs. And your system has kind of hit all the markers where it's a little bit older. The system is not working like it should. And you've not done maintenance on it ever. Tells me that your system's not going to last you some time. So, do maintenance, please. Hey guys, hope you enjoyed that video. If you're interested in an instant estimate for either HVAC or plumbing upgrades, click the link below. We have all of our pricing available on our website. Your pros. >> [singing] [music]

This is a point of view of a spring AC maintenance. We started inside by checking the air handler, cleaning the drain line, and making sure the evaporator coil looked good. Now here, we pulled apart the condenser and gave it a full wash. Dirt build-up restricts airflow, and airflow is key to keeping your system healthy. We did notice the compressor was starting a little hard at 115 amps, so we installed a hard start kit and brought that down to 80 amps, which reduces strain every time it kicks on. Uh we checked the capacitors, verified refrigerant levels, inspected the blower wheel, and everything is running the way it should. Just solid preventative maintenance before the Oklahoma heat rolls in this springtime. Your [music] [singing] home.

hi I'm Philip with yard bro and Suns heating air and plumbing and today we're heading out for a heating and air inspection at a customer's house we're going to do a onetime inspection on the full heating system a onetime inspection on the cooling system in the same trip now we don't know a whole lot about this system we do know that they've had some noise from the outdoor unit upon start up and shut down homeowners have been told before that they need they do need parts on that outdoor unit so we're going to go out there and figure out what they have going on today young

Components' going out is kind of like a wave. At the beginning of summer when it's mild outside and the units first start turning on, your small parts like your capacitors, your contactors, your stuff like that starts going out. And then it starts ramping up as the heat rises and motors start going out, your condenser fan motor and your blower motor. And then big components like refrigerant loss or compressor goes out and then you're looking at a big ticket item or replacing your system. And that's why we reiterate taking care of the small things first before the big things happen because that will prevent a lot of those big components from going out. Stuff like maintenance, capacitors, contactors, filters, making sure your condenser is clean, cleaning your drain line, all the little stuff.

All right, Swayn, which is worse for your air conditioner? Ignoring a clogged filter for months or letting furniture block vents for airflow? >> Ignoring a clogged filter. >> All right, which is worse? Ignoring a clogged filter or ignoring regular maintenance altogether? >> Ignoring maintenance. >> Okay, what's worse? Ignoring AC maintenance or ignoring a small refrigerant leak? >> Ignoring maintenance. >> All right, what's worse? Ignoring maintenance or frequently cranking the thermostat up and down by big margins all day? >> Ignoring maintenance. >> Okay, here's the final question. What's worse? Ignoring maintenance or neglecting to clear debris around the outdoor unit? >> Ignoring maintenance. Y'all do your maintenance.

Why a May check matters more than most people think. A May check is really going to test a lot of those small components. We're testing the capacitors. We're checking on refrigerant levels. We're looking at airflow across all the vents in your house. A lot of times when we can check these really small things and we can find small problems here and there, that means that we can stop really big problems down the line. So, you know, a couple hundred-dollar fix right now is going to save you a thousand or more dollar fix down the road. So, that's why May checks matter way more than most people think. >> Your Home >> [singing] [music]

Let me paint a picture for you. During the summer, our cons team is running around with their hair on fire. Someone's picking up a call for a service call. Someone's air conditioner's completely broken. Someone's fan's not functioning properly. We're trying to schedule all of these things and coordinate with our service guys. And then someone calls in for a tune-up. If you've ever seen a World War II movie where there's like all the logisticians and they're back there trying to make these big decisions and the room's on fire, that is what an AC company's cons team looks like in the middle of summer. So, it is imperative if you want that kind of checkless and service that an AC tune-up really provides for you and your home during during the spring is a fantastic idea and our cons team loves you for it. Your home. >> [music]

To protect your HVAC system, we recommend using a surge suppressor. And y'all, I'm going to be honest, not a lot of HVAC technicians are going to be talking about this to the homeowners. But with the increased efficiency standards of the HVAC equipment, the components in the new HVAC systems are more susceptible to power surges than what the older systems were. So, to protect your HVAC system, we recommend using a surge suppressor. The brand that we use here at Yarro and Suns is this one right here. It's the Intermatic AG 3000. We've had really good luck with it and it's protected a lot of equipment that we've installed. I recommend you contact your local HVAC professional, see what brand of search suppression they offer, and ask them about it. [singing] >> [music]