Congrats on earning Hub of the Day for this excellent article. I cannot recall ever having one single repairman or contractor out to the house when I was a kid. You may have a different type of central air conditioner than we show here—a heat pump system, for example, or a unit mounted horizontally in the attic. Plants, fences, and trellises are popular ways to hide the ugly A/C units. This is known as the whip. Most companies run spring and summer “specials” because they know most units will need charging with freon or other work. A little maintenance sure does go a long way, even on air conditioning units. Like, really dusty? He's a has a heating and air business. What's more, cleaning your air ducts the "wrong way" can make things worse, not better. You can rest the cover (the part that you removed earlier with the fan motor attached) on top of the unit for the next step: Using a cooling fin comb, work the fins carefully to clean and straighten them if they are badly bent. Marites Mabugat-Simbajon from Toronto, Ontario on June 05, 2012: Wonderful tips to keep in mind. You can probably find a handyman to do this sort of air conditioning maintenance as well, for probably less than an A/C specialist will charge. So not surprised that you got Hub of the Day again. You may need to evict a rodent or snake, but most of the time you just need to clean out the dirt, leaves and dead grass. Thanks for letting me know. Installing A Skylight Chandelier: Transforming A Skylight Into A Work Of Art, Air Conditioning Cleaning: How To Clean Central A/C Evaporator Coils, Fencing Materials to Choose From For Security and Looks, DIY Termite Inspection – How To Detect Termites Around Your Home, Exterior Door Installation: How To Install A Prehung Door, Exterior Door Installation: Preparing The Doorway For A New Door. Before each cooling season it is a great idea to get a regular maintenance check and cleaning done on the unit by an HVAC professional. Deserving. I did not know that I could hose down the condenser unit and I will be doing this. You can also read “How To Clean Central A/C Evaporator Coils” Here. This certainly is one appliance you don't want to go on the fritz in your neck of the woods around Dallas. I need to open up some of those registers a bit; some are completely closed off. That is why it is important to regularly change the air filter on the system. This will definitely come in handy. I still need to edge and mulch around that condenser unit - such is the life of a homeowner. Repair man added 1lb freon and ut was fine. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. It probably needs cleaning anyway. There are so many fragile parts that you will probably only be asking for trouble. You might end up dislodging debris and bringing allergens into your home that weren't previously a problem. Kristin Trapp (author) from Illinois on June 04, 2012: How wonderful for you, moonlake, that your son has a heating and air conditioner business. I'm glad this is handy information for you, TheMagician. Central air units frequently get clogged with dust and other debris they extract from the air. Pull out your garden hose and with a hard stream of water, working top to bottom, hose off each side of the condenser. Marlene Bertrand from USA on June 02, 2012: This is very helpful information. Helpful and voted up. Country Living editors select each product featured. You'll find the evaporator for a central air system located directly above the furnace in the plenum (main duct). The master switch is almost always attached to the house at the same location as the unit itself; simply open the panel and pull out the large plug. I love the original photos, and really appreciate the tips. Anyway, it's real important to trim back plants around the air conditioner too - anything to improve airflow is what's needed.