AC Maintenance in Slidell, LA
Air conditioners here run from April through October, so March is the time for a tune-up. Tell us about your system, and a licensed contractor who covers St. Tammany Parish will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Seven months of Slidell heat wears on your AC
Your air conditioner runs from April through October here, and on the afternoons that hit 91°F it does not get a break. The compressor cycles on again and again to keep up, and that is the part a tune-up checks first. A weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge will not stop your AC cold, but it will make the compressor work harder every one of those seven months until something gives out.
St. Tammany Parish has also seen 88 damaging wind events and 24 hail events over the past ten years. Wind can knock the outdoor unit's panels loose or bend the fins that let it shed heat, and hail up to 2 inches can dent the coil. A tune-up gets someone out to look at the unit before summer, while there is still time to catch what the last storm season left behind.
- 7 months
- April through October, your air conditioner is on duty
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 24 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 88 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Book your AC tune-up in March, before homes here start needing cooling in April.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
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- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
A tune-up checks the refrigerant charge, cleans the coils, tests the capacitor and tightens the electrical connections.
Louisiana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors tests and records the people who hold this license. It covers the contractor as a business, not the individual visit, so the license tells you the company behind the work has met the state's standard, not that this particular tune-up was inspected by anyone.
For a maintenance visit on an air conditioner, that license is the main thing standing behind the work in Louisiana. If the technician opens the refrigerant side of your system to check the charge or deal with a leak, federal law also requires them to hold EPA Section 608 certification, the same rule that applies in every state. That certification is not part of the Louisiana license. It comes from a separate federal test on handling refrigerant safely.
Source: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
- What does AC maintenance include?
- A technician checks refrigerant charge, cleans or replaces the filter, and clears the condensate drain so it isn't clogged. They'll also inspect the coils, test the capacitor and contactor, and check that the system is cycling correctly. Anyone opening the refrigerant lines has to hold EPA Section 608 certification, so that part of the job stays with a licensed contractor.
- How often does an air conditioner need maintenance?
- Once a year, ideally before the season it works hardest. Here that means getting it checked before April, since the system runs from April through October and sees afternoons averaging 91°F. A yearly check catches worn parts before they fail during that stretch.
- Is AC maintenance worth it?
- Yes. A system that runs 7 months a year against 91°F afternoons is under steady load, and small issues like a dirty coil or low refrigerant make it work harder without you noticing until it stops. Regular maintenance also gives a contractor a chance to spot wear before it turns into a breakdown in the middle of summer.