For HVAC maintenance in Florence, SC, plan two visits a year. Book one in spring before the heat and one in fall before the cold. At Quality Service Company, LLC, your tech checks the system, then tells you what they found and why.
This guide covers why our climate calls for both visits and what each one checks. It also lists what you can do between visits.
Why does an AC work so hard in Florence?
Our summers are long. Long-term NOAA averages for Florence Regional Airport show a July high of 92 degrees. The average July low is 72.4 degrees, so the house barely cools off at night.
The airport sees about 70 days a year at 90 degrees or higher. Cooling runs hard from May through September. That adds up to five months of long run times for your AC.
Heat is only half the job. Your AC also pulls moisture out of the air. A dirty coil or a clogged drain makes that harder.
Why does a fall visit matter if summer is the hard part?
Winters here are short but real. In a normal year, Florence has about 40 nights at 32 degrees or lower. Over a full year, heating and cooling needs here are about equal, measured in degree days.
Hard freezes happen too. The winter of 2025–26 brought seven nights at 20 degrees or lower. On February 2, 2026, the airport hit 8 degrees.
On nights like those, a heat pump leans on its backup heat. A fall visit checks that backup before you need it. Read more about heat pump service in Florence.
What does a spring AC tune-up check?
A spring visit gets the cooling side ready for the heat. A typical AC tune-up covers these checks:
- Cleaning the outdoor coil so the unit can shed heat.
- Checking refrigerant pressures and temperatures.
- Clearing the condensate drain so water does not back up.
- Testing electrical parts, such as the capacitor and contactor.
- Checking airflow, the blower and the filter.
- Making sure the thermostat starts and stops the system correctly.
Ask your tech what they found and why it matters. If a part is wearing out, you can plan the fix before it fails. Read more about HVAC maintenance and tune-ups.
What does a fall heating tune-up check?
A fall visit does the same job for heat. What gets checked depends on your system:
- Heat pumps: the reversing valve, defrost controls and backup heat.
- Gas furnaces: burners, the flame sensor, venting and the heat exchanger.
- Every system: electrical connections, the blower, the filter and the thermostat.
If you heat with gas, test your carbon monoxide alarms each fall.
What can you do between visits?
A few simple habits keep the system healthy all year:
- Look at the air filter often. Change it when it looks gray or dusty.
- Check it more often in pollen season. In late March 2025, pine, oak and birch pollen ran high to very high across South Carolina. Weed pollen peaks from late summer into early fall.
- Keep pine straw, leaves and shrubs away from the outdoor unit.
- Keep vents and return grilles open and clear of furniture.
- Watch for water near the indoor unit. It can mean a clogged drain.
- Before a big storm, turn the AC off at the thermostat and the breaker. Trane lists this step in its storm advice.
- If the outdoor unit sat in floodwater, leave it off until it is inspected.
If dust or allergies are a problem, read about indoor air quality in Florence.
When should you call instead of waiting?
Some problems should not wait for the next tune-up. Call if you notice any of these:
- Warm air from the vents while the AC is on.
- The system turning on and off in short bursts.
- Ice on the refrigerant lines or the outdoor coil.
- Water pooling near the indoor unit.
- Grinding, squealing or banging sounds.
- A burning or electrical smell.
- Rooms that feel clammy even when they are cool.
A failing AC on a July night is more than a nuisance. It matters most for a baby, an older parent, or anyone with breathing trouble. Quality Service Company has 24/7 dispatch for heating and cooling.
Common questions
Is HVAC maintenance worth it if my system runs fine?
Yes, regular maintenance is worth it. A dirty coil, a weak capacitor or a slow drain rarely shows until a hot afternoon. A tune-up can find that wear early, so you can plan a repair instead of facing a breakdown. Florence’s long summers make early checks matter more.
How often should I change my air filter?
Look at your air filter often, and change it when it looks gray or dusty. How fast it fills depends on the filter, your pets and the season. In Florence, spring tree pollen and late-summer weed pollen can load a filter faster. Some systems cannot take a thick filter, so ask your tech which one fits.
Does a heat pump need maintenance before winter?
Yes, a heat pump needs a fall check because it both heats and cools the house. Before cold weather, a tech checks the reversing valve, defrost controls and backup heat. Florence averages about 40 freezing nights a year, and in February 2026 the airport hit 8 degrees. Backup heat has to work on those nights.
What should I do with my AC before a hurricane?
Before a hurricane or big storm, turn your AC off at the thermostat and at the breaker. Trane lists this step in its storm advice, along with an HVAC surge protector. After the storm, do not restart a unit that sat in floodwater. Have a technician inspect it first.
Our techs live where we work, across Florence and the Pee Dee. Call (843) 920-2004 or book online.