When to Do AC Tune Up and Why It’s So Important

A bit of statistics?

• Nearly 80% of AC breakdowns happen in summer.

Pretty expected, as systems work at their limit due to high temperatures and constant load. But here’s what might surprise you:

• More than half of them could be prevented with an annual inspection.

A simple procedure to check filters, refrigerant, electronics, mechanics, coils, and fans can work wonders.

When should you call a technician from Freon Service? Let’s find the best time for this together.

When Do AC Tune Up: Heat Hits, Time to Check?

Pleasant spring weather suddenly turns into a wave of heat? That can easily happen by mid-June or, in rare cases, even in April-May. Your hand reaches for the AC remote, which has been quietly dormant for nearly a year. It hums to life, blows out dust, and weakly pushes air. The fan in the corner gives its rival a disdainful glance and suddenly realizes, with horror, it’ll have to handle summer cooling alone.

What’s happening in this all-too-typical early summer situation?

• The air conditioner hasn’t been serviced in a year, maybe even two.
• Dust and mold have built up, accelerating wear on parts and overheating the compressor.
• It barely handles the load, so cooling quality drops significantly.
• There’s excess condensate and clogged filters inside.

Your struggling heat protector gobbles up electricity and risks shutting down completely on the hottest day.

So, when to do AC tune up? Now or later?

Summer is not the best time for an inspection:

• During peak season, it’s harder to find an available technician, especially in San Jose.
• Because service company staff have to work overtime, the price for their services rises, especially for urgent visits.
• Delays are possible due to high demand and parts shortages.

But… Better now than when the cooling system fails entirely. From our experience, summer is not the time for preparing air conditioners for work but for their emergency repairs.

When to Do AC Tune Up: Resolve Not to Delay

“Next time, I’ll be ready,” you vow to the heat and call us right at the start of cooler days. In San Jose, this usually happens by late September. It seems like the perfect window of opportunity for maintenance. Is it really?

Advantages of servicing in the fall:

• It’s cheaper. Fall is an off-peak season for Freon Service, so there are no surcharges for urgency or emergency calls like in summer.
• And it gets more and more fascinating: Technicians are more available. This means it’s much easier to book a convenient time, including weekends. Plus, you can get a more detailed inspection: technicians have more time for each client. Have questions about upgrades, filters, or thermostats? This is your chance to get personalized consultation and all the needed information—from simple advice to a full guide.

Does this mean, for example, October is the best month for AC tune up? Not quite. There are downsides:

• You won’t feel the improvement immediately since you’ll only use the system in 5–6 months.
• If moisture gets into the outdoor unit during cold rains, it can “wash away” the cleaning effect, especially if water brings sticks, leaves from nearby trees, or debris from the roof.
• But wait, there’s something else: When you turn on the heat via the heat pump in winter, you may need not only an AC check but also an inspection for heating mode—that’s a different setup. We’ll cover that later in a separate section.

So, when to do AC tune up?

The ideal scenario is twofold:

• Spring: Maintenance before the heat, with a full inspection, setup, and educational materials. We have guides, tutorials, and documentation on system care.
• Fall: A quick check and cleaning after the season, especially if the air conditioner ran all summer or if there are kids or allergy sufferers at home.

When Do AC Tune Up in Winter Months?

From December to February, inspections are rarely needed, mainly because checking cooling is ineffective at low temperatures.

However, this time is well-suited for heat pump owners and those looking to upgrade or install a new system.

Spring: Best Time for AC Tune Up

This is the last season we’ll cover, and it’s the optimal time to schedule a rendezvous for your “home iceberg” with a Freon Service technician:

• Right after winter, when cooling hasn’t been used.
• Before peak temperatures hit.
• Our specialists are less busy and offer great booking windows.
• Cleaning filters, drainage, coils, and checking refrigerant pressure during this period helps identify issues before you’re stuck enduring the heat.

Keep in mind, it’s better not to wait until mid or late spring. In 2025, the heat started as early as April. Those who thought March was the best month for AC tune up gained a significant advantage:

• After an early heatwave, demand for maintenance services spiked, leading to queues and price increases.
• Most importantly, their air conditioners were ready for the load and didn’t break down in the peak of the heat.

It’s also critical to check annually. So, stay consistent.

When Do AC Tune Up If It Also Has a Heating Function?

It’s a perfectly reasonable question, as an air conditioner with a heat pump is far from a simple “AC.” It operates on the following principle:

• In summer, it extracts heat from the indoor air and expels it outside.
• In winter, it does the opposite—captures heat from the outdoor air and delivers it inside the home.

Although it’s the same device, the heating mode engages different parts and operational logic. If you try to address everything in one visit, you might miss specific issues that only appear when preparing for a particular season. That’s why a separate inspection for the “heating mode” is necessary. Key things to check include:

• Refrigerant flow direction. The reversing valve may fail, preventing heating.
• In heating mode, it operates differently and may overheat.
• Temperature sensors. They require different activation/deactivation thresholds.
• The thermostat needs proper setup.
• Refrigerant level. What’s sufficient for cooling may be inadequate for heating.
• During heating, moisture can accumulate, fostering mold growth.

What’s the ultimate deduction и when do AC tune up?

If you have a heat pump, it should be checked twice a year:

• Spring for the cooling system.
• Fall for the heating functions.

This proactive approach reduces the risk of malfunctions, overheating, voltage spikes, and emergency situations, improving reliability, energy efficiency, and extending equipment lifespan.

Why choose Freon Service for these tasks?

Our customer ratings and reviews speak for themselves: we’re not just contractors, we’re a team with real expertise, years of experience, and practical skills. We offer not just a service but true comfort, safety, and a healthy atmosphere in your home or office.