- Founded in 2005
- Family-Owned & Local
- Honest & Transparent
- Mount Gilead, NC
- Heating & Cooling Specialists
- Residential & Commercial
When your AC quits in July, you feel it fast. Mount Gilead summers run long, hot, and humid — highs near 90, sticky air that won't let up. A struggling system can't keep a house comfortable in that, and the humidity makes a weak unit feel even worse.
A lot of cooling problems start small. A low refrigerant charge, a dirty coil, a clogged drain line. Left alone, they turn into a warm house, a frozen unit, or a compressor that gives out on the hottest day of the year.
We're EM Contractors LLC — a family-owned Mount Gilead HVAC shop that's worked on Piedmont homes since 2005. We check the whole system, tell you straight what's wrong, and charge a fair price. No upsell. Just honest cooling service that holds up through a Carolina summer.
Common Problems We See
- AC is running but the house won't cool down
- Warm air blowing from the vents
- Weak airflow or some rooms hotter than others
- Outdoor unit iced over or coil frozen solid
- Water pooling around the indoor unit or a clogged drain line
- AC short-cycling — turning on and off every few minutes
- High humidity and a sticky, muggy feel even with the AC on
- Energy bill jumped with no change in how you use the system
How EM Contractors Helps
We start by finding the real cause, not guessing. Our techs check refrigerant charge, coils, the blower, the drain line, electrical connections, and the thermostat — the whole cooling system, not just the part that's easy to reach. Then we explain what we found in plain language and give you a fair price before any work starts.
Most calls are a fix, not a full replacement. We handle AC repair, refrigerant leak diagnosis, frozen coil thaw and repair, drain-line clearing, capacitor and contactor replacement, and full tune-ups. If a system really is worn out and a repair won't hold, we'll tell you that honestly and walk you through your options — no pressure. We service all major makes and models, and when it's time for a new system we install it sized right for your home.
Why Choose EM Contractors LLC
We live and work right here in Mount Gilead, Montgomery County — we know what these long Piedmont summers and all that humidity do to a cooling system, from lake homes out by Lake Tillery to older houses downtown. EM Contractors has been family-owned since 2005, going back to the Mabe family's decades of HVAC work in this community. When you call, you get a real local technician who'll be honest with you, charge a fair price, and stand behind the work. That's how Eric and the crew have earned their neighbors' trust for years.
Our Air Conditioning Process
- 1
Call or request service
Tell us what your AC is doing. We'll get you on the schedule — same-day or next-day when we can.
- 2
Full system inspection
We check refrigerant, coils, the blower, drain line, electrical, and thermostat to find the real cause, not just the symptom.
- 3
Honest diagnosis and fair price
We explain what's wrong in plain language and give you the price up front before any work begins.
- 4
We fix it right
Repair, recharge, clean, or replace the failed parts — done correctly so it holds up through the summer.
- 5
Test and clean up
We confirm the system is cooling and running well, then leave your home the way we found it.
Local Tips for Air Conditioning
Honest, practical advice from the EM Contractors crew — the same things we'd tell a neighbor.
Set the fan to AUTO, not ON
On AUTO, the blower stops between cooling cycles so condensed moisture drips off the coil and out the drain. On ON, that water gets blown right back into the house — which is the last thing you want during a sticky Piedmont summer.
Change the filter every month in cooling season
Our long, all-day run times load a filter up fast, and a clogged one starves the coil of airflow until it freezes over. Pop a fresh filter in monthly from May through September and you'll dodge most no-cool calls.
Keep the outdoor unit clear and rinse it off
Grass clippings, cottonwood, and dust pack the outdoor coil and make your AC work harder in the heat. Leave two feet of clear space all around it, and once a month gently rinse the fins with a garden hose — power off first.
More Air Conditioning Services
Should You Repair or Replace Your AC System?
We'll never push a new system you don't need. Here's the honest framework we use to help you decide.
Repair may be best
- System is under about 10 years old
- The repair is minor and inexpensive
- Energy bills have stayed steady
- Unit has been maintained and uses R-410A
- First or second issue in years of service
Replacement may be best
- System is 12–15+ years old
- Repairs are becoming frequent
- Energy bills keep climbing
- Cooling is uneven or humidity stays high
- A major component (like the compressor) failed
- Unit uses phased-out R-22 refrigerant
Not sure where your system lands? We'll give you an honest evaluation — and we'll tell you to keep what you have when that's the right call.
What Customers Say About Our Air Conditioning Service
Real, verified reviews from the Mount Gilead neighbors we've helped.
“I have known the Mabe family for 65 years. Father Roger and son Eric have for 30 years provided to me excellent A/C installation and service. EM Contractors are knowledgeable, prompt and courteous. I highly recommend the company.”
“Excellent service. I called in the afternoon and someone was at my house within an hour. Would definitely recommend!”
“Excellent HVAC company. When I call he is very prompt, professional, and knowledgeable then goes right to work. I would highly recommend Eric Mabe to anyone. Thanks for coming out today.”
Air Conditioning Tips From Our Blog
Air Conditioning Questions, Answered
We do same-day and next-day service whenever the schedule allows, and we move fast when it's hot. Call us and tell us what your system is doing — we'll get you on the books as quickly as we can. We can't promise an exact arrival time, but a real local tech will answer.
It's usually one of a few things: low refrigerant from a leak, a frozen or dirty coil, a failing capacitor, or a clogged drain line shutting the system down. We'll check the whole system, find the real cause, and tell you exactly what it'll take to fix it.
A frozen coil usually means low refrigerant or weak airflow — often a dirty filter, blocked coil, or failing blower. Turn the system off so it can thaw and call us. Running it frozen can damage the compressor, which is the expensive part to replace.
We'll give you honest guidance. If your unit is under about 10 years old and the fix is a single repair, repair usually makes sense. If it's 12 to 15 years old, needs a major repair like a compressor, or uses the phased-out R-22 refrigerant, replacement is often the smarter spend. We'll lay out both and let you decide — no pressure.
Once a year, ideally a spring tune-up before our long cooling season starts. With the humidity here, a yearly check keeps the coil clean, the drain clear, and the refrigerant where it should be — which prevents most breakdowns and helps the system pull moisture out of your air.
Yes. We work on all major makes and models, whatever brand is sitting beside your house. We've installed Heil systems and service everything from older units to new high-efficiency equipment.
It comes down to a few things: the diagnostic to find the real cause, the parts a repair needs (a capacitor is cheap, a compressor is not), and how much refrigerant the system takes if it's low. Older units on phased-out R-22 cost more to recharge. We check the whole system first, then give you the price up front before any work starts — no surprises on the bill.
We check the whole cooling system, not just the obvious part. That means refrigerant charge, the indoor and outdoor coils, the blower, the condensate drain line, electrical connections and the capacitor, and the thermostat. Then we explain in plain language what we found and what it'll take to fix it. You get the full picture and a fair price before we touch anything.
Watch for a house that takes longer to cool than it used to, a muggy or sticky feel even with the AC running, a creeping energy bill, water around the indoor unit, or the system clicking on and off every few minutes. Those small signs usually mean a low charge, a dirty coil, or a clogged drain — caught early, they're a simple fix instead of a compressor that gives out on the hottest day of July.
Ready for Air Conditioning? Talk to a Local HVAC Contractor
Call EM Contractors LLC for honest air conditioning in Mount Gilead, NC and the surrounding communities.