AC Maintenance in Ann Arbor, MI
Air conditioners here run from June through August, so May is the time for a tune-up. Tell us about your system, and a licensed contractor who covers Washtenaw County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Three months of work, and a hard start
Your air conditioner in Washtenaw County only runs June through August, with summer afternoons averaging 81°F. That is a short season, but it is not a gentle one, and the unit sits outside through everything the county sends the rest of the year.
Over the past ten years the county has recorded 60 hail events, with hail up to 2 inches, and 89 damaging wind events. Hail that size can bend the fins on the outdoor coil, and wind can rock the unit out of level or throw debris into it. A tune-up checks the coil and fins and looks over the cabinet before the first hot week puts the system to work.
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 81°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 60 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 89 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Book your AC tune-up in May, before homes here start needing cooling in June.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
A tune-up checks the refrigerant charge, cleans the coils, tests the capacitor and tightens the electrical connections.
Michigan requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Board of Mechanical Rules is the state office behind that license. It tests contractors before they can hold one and keeps a record of who does, so the license belongs to the contractor, not to any single visit to your house. Maintenance on your air conditioner falls under that same license, the same as any other HVAC work in Michigan.
If the contractor opens up the refrigerant side of your system, checking charge or refrigerant pressure, they also need EPA Section 608 certification. That one comes from federal rule, not the state, and it applies to that kind of work everywhere in the country. Between the two, the state license is what backs the contractor doing the job, and the federal certification is what backs anyone handling refrigerant.
Sources: Michigan Legislature · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
- What does AC maintenance include?
- A technician checks refrigerant pressure, cleans the condenser coil, and tests the capacitor and contactor. They also inspect the wiring, check that the coolant lines are insulated, and confirm the system is cooling to the right temperature split. Outside, they clear leaves and debris away from the condenser unit so air can move through it. Inside, they check the filter and the evaporator coil, since a dirty coil makes the whole system work harder.
- How often does an air conditioner need maintenance?
- Once a year, ideally in spring before it gets used hard. Here, cooling season runs June through August, so having it looked at before June gives a contractor time to fix anything found before the heat sets in. Skipping a year does not usually cause a breakdown by itself, but it means small problems, like a weak capacitor or a coil losing its coating, get found later instead of sooner.
- Is AC maintenance worth it?
- Yes, because most of what causes a summer breakdown is something a technician can catch ahead of time. A weak capacitor, a dirty coil, or low refrigerant all show up during an inspection before they cause the unit to quit. With summer afternoons here averaging 81°F, a system that is not maintained has to work harder to keep up, and that strain is what shortens its life.