How much does an HVAC tune-up cost?

Short answer

An HVAC tune-up costs $75 to $200 per visit. There's no DIY version, because the visit is built around instruments and training a homeowner doesn't have: refrigerant gauges, combustion testing, and a trained eye on a heat exchanger. A system that heats and cools gets a visit before each season, so plan on the price once or twice a year. The visit itself takes 60 to 120 minutes.

Cost breakdown

The price covers the technician's time and the routine supplies: coil cleaner, a drain line flush, and often a filter. Parts that the inspection finds worn, such as a capacitor or a contactor, are quoted and charged separately.

What drives the cost

• Which season. A cooling visit and a heating visit cover different parts of the system, and some companies price them differently.
• A yearly plan. Many companies sell both visits together for less than paying each one, with priority scheduling in a breakdown thrown in.
• The system type. A heat pump that runs year-round, or a system with a zoned duct setup, takes longer to check.
• Timing. A tune-up booked in the quiet months costs the standard rate. A call during a heat wave may carry an emergency rate, and the technician is checking a system that's already struggling.
• What's found. The tune-up price is fixed, but a low refrigerant charge or a worn part turns into a repair quote on top of it.

DIY vs. pro

This is a professional job, and the question isn't whether to do it yourself but how often to pay for it. How often to have your HVAC system serviced comes down to once or twice a year, and the money is well spent: one prevented breakdown on the hottest day of the year covers years of visits.

What you do yourself is everything between visits. A clean filter, a clear condensate line and an outdoor unit kept free of debris are the owner's jobs, and a system that gets them needs less from the technician. A company that offers a yearly plan is usually the cheapest way to buy the visits, and the plan's priority scheduling is worth something on its own.

FAQ

How much is an HVAC tune-up?

$75 to $200 per visit. Both visits on a yearly plan usually cost less than paying for each one.

Is an HVAC tune-up worth the cost?

Yes. It keeps the warranty valid, catches faults while they're cheap, keeps the system efficient, and prevents the breakdown that would cost many times the visit.

What does an HVAC tune-up include for the price?

Checks of the thermostat, electrical connections, capacitors and blower, cleaning of the coils, a refrigerant check, a drain line flush, a heat exchanger and burner inspection, and a full test run.

Why did my tune-up cost more than quoted?

The tune-up price is for the inspection and routine cleaning. Any worn part the technician replaces is extra, and a good company quotes it before doing the work.