An AC Maintenance Plan for Boca Raton Homes: Two Tune-Ups, One Price
Direct Cooling's AC maintenance plan in Boca Raton costs $320 per year for the first unit, plus $100 for each additional unit on the same property. It covers two tune-ups a year, 10% off any additional AC service and refrigerant, and priority scheduling with the same family-run team that already knows your system.
What the Direct Cooling AC Maintenance Plan Includes
The membership has four parts and one price: two scheduled tune-ups a year, timed before peak cooling season and before winter use; 10% off additional AC services, repairs included; 10% off refrigerant; and priority scheduling. There are no tiers to decode and no hidden add-on fees. What is listed here is the whole plan.
| Benefit | What it covers | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Two tune-ups a year | A full maintenance visit on each covered unit (see what our tune-up includes) | One before peak cooling season, one before winter use |
| 10% off additional AC services | Repairs and any other AC service beyond the two tune-ups | All year, every visit, not just at sign-up |
| 10% off refrigerant | Refrigerant on any service that requires it | All year |
| Priority scheduling | Priority scheduling with the same team that already knows your system | All year, including the summer rush |
| Price | $320 per year for the first unit, plus $100 per year for each additional unit on the same property | Per year |
Is an AC Maintenance Plan Worth It for Your Boca Raton Home?
If you would book two tune-ups a year anyway, the plan bundles them with a standing 10% discount on repairs and refrigerant, so for most homes with a sound system it is worth it. ENERGY STAR advises a professional cooling checkup every spring, and a South Florida system works hard for most of the year, which is why the plan includes two visits rather than one.
It fits best when the system is in good shape and you want to keep it that way: a single-family home with the air handler in a garage or attic, a townhome or condo where a drain overflow quickly becomes a ceiling stain, or a larger property with two or three systems, where the $100 additional-unit rate brings the cost per system down.
It fits less well when the system is near the end of its life. If your AC is old, needs refrigerant every summer, or has broken down several times, ask for an evaluation first. Frank Rey, who founded Direct Cooling after more than 20 years in HVAC, evaluates a system's age, condition and size before recommending repair or replacement. We would rather tell you that than sell a plan for equipment that is about to be replaced.
Seasonal residents get the most out of the two visits when they line up with the calendar. Tell us your dates when you join: a visit before you leave and another before you return is the most useful timing for a home that sits closed up for months.
How Much an AC Maintenance Plan Costs for One, Two or Three Systems
Pricing follows one rule: $320 a year covers the first unit, and each additional unit on the same property adds $100 a year. Larger homes in Boca Raton often run a second system for an upstairs zone, a guest suite or an addition, and the additional-unit rate is built for exactly that.
| Units on the property | Annual price |
|---|---|
| 1 unit | $320 |
| 2 units | $420 |
| 3 units | $520 |
Calculated from Direct Cooling's published rate as of October 6, 2026: $320 for the first unit, plus $100 for each additional unit on the same property. Every plan includes two scheduled tune-up visits a year; ask us how visits are scheduled on multi-system homes.
How the Two Tune-Ups Fit the South Florida Calendar
ENERGY STAR recommends checking the cooling system in spring and the heating system in fall, because contractors get busy once summer and winter arrive. The membership follows the same rhythm: one visit before peak cooling season and one before winter use, with the 10% discount and priority scheduling covering everything in between.
Before peak cooling season, while the weather is mild and schedules are open: coils, condensate drain, electrical parts and refrigerant charge checked before the system's hardest months.
The season when systems fail. Members get priority scheduling and 10% off any repair or refrigerant the system needs.
Before winter use: a second full check after the hardest-working months of the year, when worn parts and slow drains show up.
Fewer cooling hours, but the system still runs. Keep checking the filter monthly; the 10% discount applies to anything that comes up.
What a Professional AC Tune-Up Should Cover
ENERGY STAR publishes a checklist for professional HVAC maintenance. Whoever you hire, a real tune-up covers most of these items; a filter swap and a sticker is not a tune-up. Our own task list, with why each one matters in South Florida, is on the AC maintenance page.
- Coils cleanedEvaporator and condenser coils cleaned. The Department of Energy also advises checking the evaporator coil every year and cleaning it as necessary.
- Refrigerant level checkedChecked and adjusted if needed. If it is low, the Department of Energy's guidance is to have a trained technician repair the leak and recharge the system.
- Electrical connections tightenedConnections tightened, and voltage and current measured on the motors.
- Condensate drain inspectedThe drain that carries water away from the indoor coil. DOE advises keeping the unit's drain channels clear to prevent clogs.
- Blower cleaned and adjustedSo the system moves the right amount of air across the coil.
- Moving parts lubricated, controls checkedSo the system starts, runs and shuts off safely and properly.
- Thermostat settings checkedSo the system holds the temperature you actually set.
How the 10% Member Discount on Repairs and Refrigerant Works
The 10% discount applies to any additional AC service or refrigerant a member's system needs during the year, not only at the two scheduled visits. If a capacitor fails in August or the system needs refrigerant after a leak repair, the discount comes off that invoice too. It is a standing discount for as long as the membership is active, not a one-time coupon.
A word on refrigerant, because it is where homeowners most often get oversold. Low refrigerant usually points to a leak, and the Department of Energy's guidance is to have a trained technician repair the leak and recharge the system. We will tell you when a system is leaking rather than topping it off every summer and calling it maintenance.
If your system runs on R-410A, the 2026 federal rule changes do not stop it from being repaired. EPA says existing systems can keep being used and serviced, and its May 2026 reconsideration rule removed the January 1, 2026 installation deadline for pre-2025 R-410A split equipment. The member discount applies whichever refrigerant your system uses; our refrigerant changes guide explains the rest.
Between Tune-Ups: What You Handle and What Our Technicians Handle
A maintenance plan does not replace the few simple things only a homeowner can do between visits. The split below follows ENERGY STAR, Department of Energy and FPL guidance, and everything in the right-hand column is covered by your tune-ups or your member discount.
Safe to do yourself
- Check the filter monthlyENERGY STAR says to inspect, clean or change filters once a month. DOE says routinely replacing or cleaning filters can lower an air conditioner's energy use by 5 to 15 percent.
- Keep the outdoor unit clearDOE advises cleaning debris and leaves away from the outdoor unit. Trim plants back and keep lawn clippings off the coil.
- Use sensible thermostat settingsFPL suggests 78°F when you are home and 82°F when you are away.
- Watch for waterWater around the indoor unit, or a drain line outside that stops dripping in summer, can mean a clog. Call before it overflows.
Stop and call a pro
- Refrigerant checks and leak repairMeasuring charge takes gauges and a trained technician, and a leak should be found and fixed, not just refilled.
- Coil cleaningInspecting and cleaning the evaporator coil and rinsing the condenser coil, the two surfaces that move heat.
- Electrical testingCapacitors, contactors and connections carry line voltage and need a meter, not a guess.
- Drain and blower serviceClearing the condensate drain and cleaning and adjusting the blower for proper airflow.
The plan covers maintenance visits, a discount and priority scheduling. Your equipment's manufacturer warranty is separate. Under Florida Statutes 559.957, a manufacturer's HVAC warranty runs its full term from installation by a licensed contractor and is not conditioned on registration. Not sure what yours covers? Bring the paperwork to your next tune-up and ask.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign Any AC Maintenance Plan
Maintenance plans in Palm Beach County vary more than their names suggest. Before you join ours or anyone else's, get clear answers to these questions. Here is how the Direct Cooling plan answers each one, so you can compare like for like.
- How many visits a year? Ours: two tune-ups a year, one before peak cooling season and one before winter use.
- Does the discount cover refrigerant, or only labor? Ours: 10% off refrigerant and 10% off additional AC services.
- Does the discount apply all year, or only during the tune-up? Ours: all year.
- What does a tune-up actually include? Ask for the written list. Ours is on the AC maintenance page.
- What does a second or third system cost? Ours: $320 for the first unit and $100 for each additional unit on the same property.
- Who does the work? Ours: the same family-run team under Florida license CAC1819111, not a rotating subcontractor.
- What is not covered, and how do renewal and cancellation work? Ask us before you join. Call or text (561) 210-7605 and we will answer plainly.
Why Direct Cooling Built a Simple, One-Price Maintenance Plan
A single AC repair call often costs more than homeowners expect, especially when a small issue goes unnoticed until it becomes a bigger one. The membership is built around catching those issues at a scheduled tune-up instead, so you pay for prevention rather than a surprise invoice in the middle of a heat wave.
It also builds on the way Direct Cooling has worked since 2017. The company has stayed small and family-run on purpose, so the same team tracks your system's condition over time. The technician who cleaned your coil in spring is often the one who comes back in fall and notices what changed.
And a tune-up is not a sales call. Frank trains every technician to diagnose first and sell second, and that applies at a maintenance visit as much as at a repair. If something needs attention, you hear what it is, why it matters and what it would take, with your 10% member discount applied.
Common Questions About the AC Maintenance Plan
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- Is an AC maintenance plan worth it?
- For most homeowners with a sound system, yes. Two tune-ups a year catch small problems, like a clogging condensate drain or a weakening capacitor, before they turn into a mid-season breakdown, and the 10% discount applies to any repair or refrigerant all year. If your system is near the end of its life, ask for an evaluation first, because a plan cannot rescue failing equipment.
- How much does the Direct Cooling membership plan cost?
- The plan is $320 per year for one unit, plus $100 per year for each additional unit on the same property. A home with two systems pays $420 a year, and a home with three pays $520. There are no tiers and no hidden add-on fees, and the same price includes two tune-ups a year, the 10% discount and priority scheduling.
- Do I still get a discount if I need a repair outside my scheduled tune-ups?
- Yes. Members receive 10% off any additional AC service or refrigerant needed throughout the year, not just during the two scheduled tune-up visits. A repair in July or a refrigerant charge after a leak fix gets the same 10% off as anything found at a tune-up.
- Can I book a tune-up without joining the plan?
- Yes. Tune-ups can be booked on their own through our AC maintenance service. The membership bundles both yearly visits with 10% off repairs and refrigerant and priority scheduling, which is why most homeowners who want two tune-ups a year choose it.
Sign Up Before Your Next Tune-Up Is Due
Call or text (561) 210-7605 to join: two tune-ups a year, 10% off repairs and refrigerant, and priority scheduling, for $320 a year for your first unit.
Sources · page reviewed 2026-10-06
- Direct Cooling, published membership terms (original Membership page by Frank Rey, site backup), read 2026-10-06
- ENERGY STAR, Maintenance checklist, read 2026-10-06
- U.S. DOE, Energy Saver 101: Home Cooling (filters 5 to 15 percent, coil, drain, refrigerant leak), read 2026-10-06
- FPL, Ask the expert: AC settings, read 2026-10-06
- EPA, Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of HFCs, read 2026-10-06
- EPA, Technology Transitions final rule fact sheet (May 2026), read 2026-10-06
- Florida Statutes 559.957, warranties on HVAC equipment, read 2026-10-06
- Florida DBPR, license search (CAC1819111), read 2026-10-06