The best time to service your air conditioner is before you actually need it.
Regular maintenance and cleaning are extremely important.
Change your air filter monthly. Other than the regular filter, there are additional ones you can use, but you need to check with your air-conditioning maintenance person first.
You can get a cap from your hardware store to put on the end of your air-conditioning drain. After capping it, you can find the end of the drain outside and you can use a dry vacuum to suck out the dirt. Be sure to remove the cap once you have vacuumed.
An air-conditioning technician needs to use a high-pressure vacuum to clear the drain. It should be done yearly to avoid any backup that could cause mold growth in your air conditioner and water damage to ceilings and wall.
To clean the outside air-conditioner coils, make sure the electric power from your unit is first disconnected! Then wet the area you are cleaning with the garden hose. Using gloves and safety glasses spray the commercial air-conditioner cleaner (available at an HVAC supplier) onto the coils. Let is set for a short while and then rinse it down thoroughly with your garden hose.
