Air-conditioner Maintenance

When temperatures soar, we all too often find the air conditioning wanting.

On this day in 1848 the first air conditioner ever was built by J.E. Coffee and installed in a Broadway theater in New York City. One year later, on the very first hot day of the summer of 1849, folks were knocking on old J.E.'s door to tell him it wasn't working. Today, 150 years later, little has changed. When temperatures soar, we all too often find the air conditioning wanting. To beat the heat, check filters first. Clean or replace as needed, and check them often. The hotter the weather, the more the a/c runs and the faster filters clog -- making units work harder and break down faster. For both central air and window-mounted room units, check intake vents and condenser coils monthly. Remove leaves and hose out dirt and debris. Clear condensation drain hoses, too, for excess moisture runoff. Check early and often. And that's the On The House tip for today.

See more tips in the Heating and Cooling category!