AC Maintenance in Jackson, MS
Air conditioners here run from May through October, so April is the time for a tune-up. Tell us about your system, and a licensed contractor who covers Hinds County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Six months of cooling in Jackson heat
Your air conditioner runs from May through October here, and on a 91°F afternoon it doesn't get a break between cycles. That kind of stretch adds up on the parts that keep the system running, the capacitor, the contactor, the condenser coil.
A tune-up checks refrigerant charge and electrical connections while everything still works, and cleans a coil that's been pulling in dust and grass clippings all summer. Hinds County also sees its share of hail and wind, 46 hail events and 270 damaging wind events over the last ten years, so a service visit is also a chance to look over the outdoor unit for anything a storm left behind.
- 6 months
- May through October, your air conditioner is on duty
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 46 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 270 wind events
- in ten years, and wind drives debris into outdoor units
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Book your AC tune-up in April, before homes here start needing cooling in May.
- 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.
Mississippi requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Mississippi State Board of Contractors licenses HVAC contractors statewide. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license covers this maintenance visit as it would a full installation.
For this kind of work, that license is what stands behind the person coming to your home. If the maintenance involves opening the refrigerant side of the unit, checking the charge or the coil, the technician also has to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That is a federal requirement in every state, separate from the Mississippi license.
Source: Mississippi State Board of Contractors
- What does AC maintenance include?
- A technician checks refrigerant pressure, cleans the condenser coil outside, and tests the capacitor and contactor that start the compressor. They check the coil inside for dirt and check that the condensate drain isn't clogged. They'll also check the thermostat is calling for cooling correctly and check the electrical connections are tight. Anyone opening the refrigerant side of your system has to hold EPA Section 608 certification, which is a federal rule everywhere, not just Mississippi.
- How often does an air conditioner need maintenance?
- Once a year, before the season it works hardest. Homes here run the AC May through October, six months of the year, so spring is the right time to have it checked before summer afternoons push it to work at 91°F. A yearly check catches a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge before it fails on a hot day.
- Is AC maintenance worth it?
- Yes, especially here. Your system runs six months a year against summer highs averaging 91°F, and that's a long stretch for parts like the capacitor and contactor to hold up under strain. This area has also seen 46 hail events and 270 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and a yearly check is when a technician would spot a bent fin or damaged coil from a storm before it turns into bigger problem. Mississippi requires the contractor doing this work to hold a state license, so ask for that license number before you book.