Aerial view of a gray outdoor air conditioning condenser unit mounted on a concrete pad next to a house with vinyl siding.

AC Maintenance in Memphis, TN

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.

Step 1 of 3: Equipment

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Aerial view of a gray central air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad next to a house with vinyl siding.

Five months of Memphis heat wears on a system fast

Your air conditioner works from May through September here, and on the afternoons it works hardest, it is pushing against 90 degrees. That is the compressor running long hours, day after day, for five straight months.

A tune-up catches what that kind of run time does before it turns into a breakdown. A technician checks the refrigerant charge, tests the capacitor, and clears the condenser coil so the system is not straining to shed heat it cannot get rid of. Shelby County has also logged 195 damaging wind events and 51 hail events over the past ten years, with hail as large as 2 inches. A maintenance visit is also a chance to look over the outdoor unit for dents or bent fins from a storm that came through since the last check.

5 months: May through September, your air conditioner is on duty
90°F: the average summer afternoon it cools against
51 hail events: in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
195 wind events: in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units

Isometric illustration of a cutaway single-story house showing interior rooms, ductwork running from an indoor air handler, and an outdoor condenser unit on a pad beside the building.

Your air conditioner works hardest from June through September.

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NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals

Aerial view of a residential air conditioning condenser unit mounted on a concrete pad next to a house with vinyl siding and a sliding glass door.

Book your AC tune-up in April, before homes here start needing cooling in May.

A tune-up checks the refrigerant charge, cleans the coils, tests the capacitor and tightens the electrical connections.

What does AC maintenance include?: A contractor checks refrigerant pressure, cleans the outdoor coil, and tests the capacitor and contactor in the outdoor unit. Inside, they check the evaporator coil, the blower, and the drain line that carries condensation away. They also check the thermostat settings and look over the electrical connections for wear. In Memphis, the outdoor coil earns its keep with 51 hail events and 195 damaging wind events on record over the last ten years, so a look at the coil fins and the cabinet is worth doing every visit.
How often does an air conditioner need maintenance?: Once a year, ideally before the weather turns warm. Memphis homes run their AC from May through September, so scheduling a check in early spring means it is ready before that stretch starts. A yearly check catches a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge before it turns into a breakdown on a 90°F afternoon.
Is AC maintenance worth it?: Yes, because it catches small problems while they are still cheap fixes. A capacitor going weak or a coil losing its ability to shed heat won't stop your system overnight, but it will make it work harder and cool less. With five months of real cooling demand here and summer highs averaging 90°F, a system that is already losing efficiency has little room to fall further before you notice it in the house.

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