AC Maintenance

What's included in an AC tune-up

Every Gulfstream Cooling tune-up is done by a factory-trained technician and covers:

• Condenser coil cleaning. Removes pollen, landscape debris and, near the coast, salt buildup from the outdoor unit.
• Evaporator coil inspection and cleaning. Keeps mold and dust off the indoor coil so air moves freely.
• Refrigerant pressure and charge check. Low charge means a leak, and a system that cools poorly and works harder.
• Capacitor and contactor testing. Florida heat wears these parts out years early. Testing catches them before they fail on a hot afternoon.
• Blower motor amp-draw reading. Shows whether the motor is straining before it burns out.
• Drain line flush. Humidity keeps drain pans wet year-round. A clogged line trips the safety switch and shuts the system down.
• Thermostat calibration. Makes sure the temperature you set is the temperature you get.
• Electrical connection tightening. Loose connections cause overheating and intermittent failures.

The Gulfstream Cooling Maintenance Plan

The easiest way to stay on schedule is to let us keep track of it. Plan holders get:

• Two tune-ups a year. A spring visit before peak cooling season and a fall visit after hurricane season.
• Full drain-line flush at every visit. The fix for the most common "my AC stopped working" call we run.
• Written system health report. After each visit you get a report showing what is in good shape and what is getting close to the edge.
• Priority scheduling. Plan holders move to the front of the line, so you are not waiting days in July behind a queue of emergencies.
• Discounted repairs. If something does need fixing, plan holders pay less for it.

We tailor the plan to your property:

• Coastal homes: an optional third salt-rinse in summer for homes east of I-95 and US-1, to protect outdoor coils from corrosion.
• Historic homes: an annual duct inspection.
• Premium variable-speed systems: control-board firmware and error-log review on communicating equipment, and service on every zone.
• Commercial properties: quarterly service for rooftop units.
• Equestrian properties: quarterly barn inspections, tack-room dehumidifier tests and a November pre-season tune-up.

Why AC maintenance matters in Palm Beach County

Air conditioners in Palm Beach County run nearly every day of the year in heat and humidity, so small issues compound quickly. Capacitors rated for a decade often fail at five to seven years here. Drain pans stay wet, algae grows and lines clog. Coastal homes add salt-air corrosion on outdoor coils and fan motors. A system that is cleaned, tested and adjusted twice a year runs more efficiently, breaks down less often and tends to last longer.

Signs your AC is overdue for maintenance

• Your system is more than a few years old and has never had a tune-up.
• Your electric bill is climbing while your habits haven't changed.
• Some rooms feel warmer or more humid than others.
• You notice a musty smell when the AC turns on.
• The system runs constantly, or turns on and off every few minutes.
• You've had a drain line clog or water near the air handler before.