AC Maintenance and Air Conditioning Tune-Ups in Wesley Chapel

The National Weather Service explains degree days with one assumption: at an outdoor temperature of 65°F, a house needs neither heating nor cooling. When a day's average temperature is above 65°F, the difference counts as cooling degree days. The Weather Service notes that degree days are most often used to track energy use.

The comparison used here is NOAA's 1991-2020 normals station at Saint Leo, north-northeast of Wesley Chapel. These are not readings from Wesley Chapel itself.

• Cooling far outweighs heating. Saint Leo averages 3,148.8 cooling degree days a year against 619.1 heating degree days, roughly five to one.
• Warm days most of the year. The station averages about 257 days a year with a high of 80°F or more.
• Hardly any freezing nights. The normals count fewer than three a year.

ENERGY STAR recommends an annual pre-season check-up by a contractor. It advises checking the cooling system in spring, because contractors get busy once summer arrives.

The Saint Leo monthly normals show cooling degree days climbing quickly from March onward:

| Month | Normal cooling degree days at Saint Leo | |---|---| | March | 109.6 | | April | 205.0 | | May | 363.2 | | July | 506.8 | | August | 508.4 | | October | 291.4 |

A visit in March or April comes before the monthly figure more than doubles by June. By July and August the monthly figure is several times the March figure, and October still carries more cooling than April.

The rainy season adds moisture

The National Weather Service office for Tampa Bay places the rainy season from May 25 to October 10 for West Central Florida outside Southwest Florida. It says the season usually brings persistent dew points above 70°F. The dew point is a measure of moisture in the air, and a higher dew point means more moisture. The Weather Service puts the peak from July through early September.

For more on moisture indoors, see why a house feels humid with the AC running.

The University of Florida GeoPlan Center's census report for the Wesley Chapel census-designated place lists no city jurisdiction. It counts 6,304 housing units in 2000 and 17,830 in 2010, so more than 11,000 were added in that one decade.

The same report counts 18,545 owner-occupied and 5,524 renter-occupied units in the 2019-2023 American Community Survey. It also counts 1,471 mobile homes. For owner households, the median year of moving in was 2013.

The report counts 17,830 housing units in 2010 and 25,715 in the 2019-2023 survey. ENERGY STAR advises having HVAC equipment evaluated by a professional HVAC contractor if it is more than 10 years old or not keeping the house comfortable. If your home dates from the 2000s building wave and still has its original system, a maintenance visit is a good time for that evaluation.

If you moved into a resale home, you may not know when the system was last serviced. If you rent, ask your landlord who schedules maintenance. For a manufactured home, our guide to mobile home air conditioning covers what differs, and how long AC units last in Florida explains age in more depth.

ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lists what a typical check-up should include.

Controls and the starting cycle

The checklist includes checking the system's controls for proper and safe operation. It also calls for checking the starting cycle, so the system starts, runs and shuts off properly. Thermostat settings are on the list too.

Blower and moving parts

The blower is the indoor fan that pushes air through the house. ENERGY STAR lists cleaning and adjusting blower components for proper airflow, and lubricating moving parts. It notes that parts lacking lubrication cause friction in motors.

Coils

The indoor evaporator coil takes heat and moisture out of your air, and the outdoor condenser coil releases the heat outside. ENERGY STAR lists cleaning both. Trane, a manufacturer, says a dirty condenser coil makes the cooling system work harder, and recommends a professional for coil cleaning.

Condensate drain and overflow switch

ENERGY STAR lists inspecting the condensate drain in cooling mode, and warns that a plugged drain can cause water damage and affect indoor humidity. Trane says drains can clog with dirt, debris, mold growth or even spider webs. Some systems have a condensate overflow switch; Trane names the float switch as one type. Trane explains that when it detects a possible overflow, it shuts down the outdoor compressor and fan. Trane sells the switch as an accessory that can be installed during a repair or maintenance visit.

Electrical and refrigerant

The checklist covers tightening electrical connections, measuring voltage and current on motors, and checking the refrigerant level. Refrigerant is the fluid that carries heat out of the house. Blume's refrigerant work is done by EPA Section 608 certified technicians.

Measured, not guessed

Blume's equipment work is built on measurement: sizing by ACCA Manual J load calculation and Manual S selection, and commissioning with measured static pressure, airflow and refrigerant charge, documented. Static pressure is the resistance the blower pushes against.

Three things are safe for any homeowner, and none of them need tools.

• Filter. ENERGY STAR says to check it every month, especially in heavy-use months, and to change it if it looks dirty. At a minimum, change it every three months. Our guide to HVAC air filters explains how to choose one.
• Thermostat. Confirm the mode is Cool and the setpoint is where you want it. Our thermostat settings guide offers a starting point.
• Vents, returns and the outdoor unit. Keep furniture and rugs off supply vents and return grilles. Trane advises keeping landscaping plants trimmed at least two feet from the outdoor unit on all sides.

Do not open panels, rinse the coil with a pressure washer, or try to clear the drain line yourself. Refrigerant, wiring, capacitors and drain work belong to a licensed contractor.

Trane notes that if a system with a condensate switch suddenly shuts off in the heat of the day, a clogged drain line or pan may be the cause. That is a reason to call rather than restart the system over and over.

Also call if you notice:

• Warm air from the vents while the system runs.
• Ice on the copper refrigerant lines or the indoor unit.
• Water around the indoor unit. Our guide to an AC leaking water covers the usual causes.
• A tripped breaker for the air conditioner. Leave it off and call a licensed contractor.
• A new noise, or a burning or musty smell.

The Weather Service lists frequent lightning among the hazards of the rainy season. Our guide to AC surge protection in Florida is worth reading before it starts.

Blume Mechanical Service is a Class A licensed Florida air conditioning contractor, license CAC-1822618, and is fully insured. We work from Belleair Bluffs and serve Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties, which includes Wesley Chapel. We are brand-agnostic and service all major manufacturers as a licensed contractor.

If a visit finds a problem that maintenance will not fix, you get a written, upfront price before any work, with repair and replacement side by side. Blume does not sell equipment a home does not need. Paid priority scheduling is available. For a system that stops entirely, Blume offers 24/7 emergency HVAC service, with same-day response available based on location and technician availability.

Wesley Chapel has no city government. Pasco County takes permit applications online through PascoGateway, and its Building Construction office answers questions at 727-847-8126. For the full list of homeowner and professional tasks, see our AC maintenance checklist for Florida homes. Plan details are on the AC maintenance plan page, and our other local services are on the Wesley Chapel service page.