Spring Maintenance

• Before the beginning of the hot days of summer it is important to make sure that your air conditioner is in working order, but make sure to uncover the unit before you turn it on. This is important because an air conditioner needs to draw air into the system in order to work (if it is covered it will not be able to run efficiently). Once the cover is removed, turn the air conditioner on and make sure that it is cooling your home.
  Make sure that the exterior of the unit is free of debris that may have collected over the winter, such as leaves or trash. If you have bushes or plants near the unit make sure they are trimmed back so that the air conditioner is getting good air flow, and you'll need to maintain that space throughout the summer.
  Have a professional clean the air conditioner's filters, as they collect dust and seed debris from trees. A clean filter will help your unit run at its highest efficiency.
  Also, have your air conditioning company check the freon level and electrical components and controls of your unit, as well as clean the evaporator, condenser coils and oil motors as needed, and check the condenser and filters.
  
  

Winter Preparations

• When the cooling season has ended, do a fall cleanup around the unit---trimming back any bushes or plants and hosing down the filters one final time. You may want to cover the unit over the winter.
  
  

Tips

• It is also important to continue to change your furnace air filters during the cooling season, as dirty filters reduce air flow, which not only decreases the efficiency of the unit but can cause the evaporator to ice up.
  When you test the working condition of your air conditioner make sure that you have switched the thermostat to cool.