(NC)—Do you rely on central air conditioning to make the summer's heat and humidity more bearable? If so, now is the time to ensure that your equipment is in tip-top shape. If you fail to maintain it, your cooling system will suffer a steady decline in performance while your energy use and utility bills will increase.

While there are some maintenance jobs that you can do to prolong the life of your equipment and keep it running at peak efficiency, other jobs are best left to the professionals. Some of the simple things that any homeowner can do include:

• Filters should be routinely cleaned or replaced. (some are reusable while others must be replaced).

• Ensure that the outdoor condensing unit has adequate airflow by checking that the area around the unit is cleared of debris and that foliage is trimmed back at least two feet.

Other maintenance tasks that are best left to a trained technician are as follows:

• The evaporator coil should be checked every year and cleaned as necessary – dirt reduces airflow and insulates the coil, reducing the cooling ability of your air conditioner.

• Outdoor condenser coils can become dirty as well and should be cleaned.

• Aluminum coil fins on evaporator and condenser coils outdoor should be checked and, if necessary, straightened to ensure that airflow is not blocked.

• Supply and return air ducts should be checked for leaks. A professional service technician can detect and correct duct leaks that could allow cool air to leak out and hot air to leak in, wasting an enormous amount of energy.

• Checking to ensure the proper working pressures in the refrigeration circuit. A qualified service technician will have the tools and experience necessary to determine that your cooling system is operating as it should be.

To find a properly qualified cooling contractor, look for the HRAC Member Company Logo — members of the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors of Canada (HRAC) have the training and experience that you are looking for. Visit the HRAC website at www.hrac.ca to locate a contractor in your area.

- News Canada