Air conditioners fail on the first brutal week of summer for the same reason furnaces fail at the first cold snap: months of sitting, then maximum demand. A spring check finds the weak capacitor before the heat wave does.
Homeowner jobs: gently clear leaves and debris from around the outdoor unit (keep 60 cm clearance), rinse the condenser fins with a garden hose — never a pressure washer — replace the indoor filter, open and vacuum supply vents, and run a test cycle on the first warm day rather than the first hot one.
Professional jobs: refrigerant charge verification, electrical and capacitor testing, coil condition, condensate drain clearing (the clog behind many 'mystery leaks'), and airflow measurement. One of our reviews exists because we told a caller how to clear a condensate line for free — that's the kind of small thing spring service catches.
If last summer ended with the A/C limping, don't wait for this one to confirm it. A spring assessment gives you repair and replacement numbers while nothing is urgent.
Your May list
- Clear 60 cm around the outdoor unit
- Rinse condenser fins gently
- Fresh indoor filter
- Test cycle on a warm (not hot) day
- Book professional service if anything's off
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