5 HVAC Parts to Check Before Dallas Summer Hits
Dallas summers don’t ease in — they hit hard. By mid-June, your AC is running 12 or more hours a day, and that’s when worn parts fail. A little preventive maintenance in April or early May can save you from a breakdown on the hottest day of the year. Here are the five parts worth checking before the heat arrives.
1. The Run Capacitor
Capacitors are the number one part we replace at the counter from May through September. They degrade over time from heat exposure, and Dallas summers accelerate that process. A weak capacitor makes your compressor and fan motor work harder, drives up your electric bill, and eventually fails completely — leaving you with no cooling.
Pull your capacitor and bring it in — we’ll test it for free in about 30 seconds. If it’s reading more than 5% below its rated MFD, it’s time to replace it. A new one costs $10 to $30 and takes five minutes to swap.
2. The Contactor
The contactor is the switch that sends power to your compressor and fan motor every time the thermostat calls for cooling. Each time it cycles, the contacts arc slightly. After a few seasons, those contacts get pitted and burned, which creates resistance and heat. A badly pitted contactor can weld itself shut (keeping your AC running nonstop) or fail open (no cooling at all).
Look at the contact points — if they’re visibly burned or pitted, replace it before summer. Contactors run $18 to $35 at our store.
3. The Air Filter
This one sounds obvious, but a dirty filter is behind more AC problems than most people realize. A clogged filter restricts airflow across the evaporator coil, which can cause the coil to freeze up, the blower motor to overheat, and your energy bills to climb. In the Dallas area, with all the dust and pollen in spring, filters get dirty fast.
Check it now and plan to change it monthly once summer starts. We carry standard and high-efficiency filters at the store.
4. The Condensate Drain
Your AC pulls a lot of moisture out of the air — especially in humid Dallas summers. That water drains through a PVC line from the indoor evaporator coil to outside your house. Over time, algae and sludge build up and clog the line. A blocked drain backs up water into the drain pan, which can overflow and damage your ceiling, walls, or floors.
Flush the drain line with a cup of vinegar or bleach before summer starts. If it’s already clogged, use a wet/dry vacuum on the outdoor end to clear it. We carry condensate drain treatment tablets and pan treatment products if you want a preventive solution.
5. The Thermostat Batteries
If your thermostat uses batteries, swap them out now. A thermostat with dying batteries can cause erratic cycling, display errors, or lose your programmed schedule entirely — and it always seems to happen at the worst possible time. Most thermostats use AA or AAA batteries and should be changed once a year. If your thermostat is more than 10 years old, it might be worth upgrading to a modern programmable model for better temperature control and efficiency.
Browse our thermostat selection in store. We carry Braeburn and other reliable brands, and we can help you pick the right one for your system.
Get Ahead of the Heat
Spending 30 minutes checking these five things now can save you from an emergency breakdown in July. And if you find something questionable, bring it in — we test capacitors, contactors, motors, and more at the counter for free. No appointment needed.
Open To Public HVAC Parts — 10226 Plano Rd, Suite 104, Dallas, TX 75238. Call or text (214) 340-9421. Open Monday–Friday 10–7, Saturday 10–3.
