What's Actually in an HVAC Tune-Up (No Fluff)

"$29 AC tune-up!" ads are everywhere. Some are legit; most are lead-gen for a sales pitch. Here's what a real HVAC tune-up actually includes.

The 20-point tune-up (what we do)

Outdoor condenser

1. Coil cleaned with proper coil cleaner (not just hosed off)
2. Fan blade inspection and cleaning
3. Compressor amp draw measured, compared to nameplate
4. Capacitor microfarad reading (weak capacitors caught before failure)
5. Contactor inspection for pitting/burning
6. Refrigerant pressures verified (high side and low side)
7. Superheat and subcool measured (confirms proper charge)
8. Refrigerant line insulation inspection

Indoor unit / air handler

9. Evaporator coil inspection (visual; cleaning if accessible)
10. Blower motor amp draw
11. Blower wheel inspection (dust loading causes airflow loss)
12. Filter check + change (media filter or standard 1")
13. Condensate drain flushed (Palm Desert dust + biofilm clogs these fast)
14. Drain pan / float switch tested
15. Ignition system tested (furnace or heat pump auxiliary heat)
16. Static pressure measured at supply and return

System-level

17. Temperature split measured (return-to-supply, should be 17–22°F on AC)
18. Thermostat calibration and operation verified
19. Safety controls tested (limit switches, float switches, pressure switches)
20. Written report of findings + recommendations

What "cheap" tune-ups skip

• Actual refrigerant pressure and charge measurement (they eyeball it)
• Coil cleaning with proper chemistry (they spray it with a garden hose)
• Capacitor testing (they wait for it to fail)
• Static pressure measurement (they don't have the gauge)
• The written report (verbal only, so nothing to hold them to)

What tune-ups catch

In our data across thousands of Valley tune-ups:

• ~25% of systems have a weak capacitor within 10% of failure — replaced under $200, prevents mid-heatwave breakdown
• ~15% have refrigerant charge out of spec — recalibrated, restores efficiency
• ~30% have a partially clogged condensate drain — flushed, prevents attic water damage
• ~10% have contactor pitting bad enough to fail within a year

Frequency

Twice yearly is the standard: spring tune-up before summer cooling load; fall tune-up for the heating side (or heat-pump crossover check). Once yearly is acceptable for newer (under 5 year) systems.

Absolute Air's Absolute Comfort Plans include two tune-ups per year plus priority scheduling and repair discounts. Beats one-off tune-up pricing on any system you plan to keep.