7 DIY AC Tune-Up Tips to Get Your Air Conditioner Ready for Summer
- Mar 10, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: May 7
With the Michigan summer right around the corner, there's no better time to make sure your air conditioner is in good shape and ready for another humid Metro Detroit summer.
Do I Need To Maintain My Air Conditioner?
Your air conditioner is just like your car. Just like anything mechanical, without regular maintenance and upkeep, small problems only grow worse, and before you know it, that cheap, easy to fix issue has turned into a major problem requiring costly repairs and you're left wishing you'd caught it earlier! Regular AC maintenance is the key to keeping your energy bills low, and can reduce your chances of experiencing a mid-season breakdown by up to 90%.
The Homeowners Guide to Air Conditioner Maintenance
While a DIY air conditioner tune-up may not go as far as a professional tune-up, there are still plenty of things you as a homeowner can do to keep your system in top shape, and ensure your cooling system works for you when you need it most.
1. Check and Change Your Filters
Changing your filter is the single most important thing you can do for your HVAC system. Not only does a dirty filter force your cooling system to work harder, increasing your energy bills, but it can lead to serious issues such as your furnace's blower failing, your air conditioner coil freezing up, improper air flow across your vents, and more! A standard one inch filter is only good for 1-3 months, while the larger four and five inch filters don't need to be changed for 6 months to a year, so it's important to check the kind of filter you have, and determine how often you should be changing it. Before you go and schedule an AC service call, remember to check the most important component of your system!
2. Inspect Air Vents and Registers
While it may sound simple, blocked registers are one of the leading causes of premature failures in HVAC systems. While closing off a register or two in the basement likely won't harm your system, your furnace needs to pull in a certain amount of air in order to supply your house with it. Just imagine running on a treadmill and trying to breathe through a straw, that's the condition your system in running in when it's not receiving enough air through the registers!
3. Clean Your Condensate Lines
While your air conditioner cools your house, it creates condensate that runs down your coil, into your condensate piping (which is generally PVC) and into a condensate pump or the closest drain. Over time grime and dirt builds up in this piping, and when it gets bad enough, your left with a clogged AC drain line, leaving you with a wet mess to clean up, and a call to your local air conditioner expert to figure out what the problem is. Yearly cleaning can help you to totally avoid this disaster, and with a solution as simple as pouring a cup or two of white distilled vinegar into your drain trap, followed by 3-4 cups of warm water, you can keep your lines clean and in good shape year round.
4. Clean Dirt & Debris Off of Your Air Conditioner
In Southeastern Michigan, the winter seems to last more than half of the year, and during that time your air conditioner is taking the worst of the snowstorms, rainy weather, and everything else the moody Michigan climate throws our way. Dirt and grime in the metal fins on the sides of your air conditioner not only increase your energy bills through making your AC work harder, but can lead to total failure from your AC system from overheating, especially during the heat waves of the summer months. Take a hose on nothing more than a jet setting, and make sure to gently go all the way around the sides of your unit, avoiding the closed off electrical panel. You want enough water pressure to clean off the dirt and debris, while making sure to avoid bending the metal fins. Perform a condenser coil cleaning once a year, and watch your energy bills drop back down to where they should be!
5. Check Your Thermostat Settings
Another tip that may sound simple, yet making sure your thermostat is working properly can be the difference between a comfortable, worry free summer, and waking up to find your home is now a sauna! Have you replaced the batteries within the last year? If not, it's a great idea to do that now, because a dead thermostat means no cooling. Also make sure you're charging your nest thermostat at least every 6 months, ideally during the milder weather of spring or fall. Do you use a schedule? If not, make sure it's turned off so you're not coming home to different temperatures than you've set.
6. Inspect Your Refrigerant Lines
The copper lines going from your outdoor unit to the indoor portion of you air conditioner is the muscle behind your air conditioner. Check to ensure there aren't chunks of insulation missing from your lines, as you'll have condensate dripping from the lines without it. Are they any kinks or visible damage to the copper? If so, now is the perfect time to reach out and get these issues resolved before the temperature truly spikes!
6. Run Your Air Conditioner!
While it's important not to turn your air conditioner on if the temperature outside is below 65°F, the last thing to do is turn your air conditioner on! Walk around your house and feel the air coming from the registers, is it cool? At the outdoor unit, is the fan running? Can you hear the buzz of the compressor? Is your system making any stranger sounds? Now is the time to make sure everything is in good condition! While sometimes blatantly obvious, it's not always readily apparent that your air conditioner is in need of service.
Tried all of the above but your air conditioner isn't cooling? Let WeatherWise give you one less thing to worry about this year, reach out today!
Regular preventative maintenance is the key to keeping your energy bills low, and avoiding breakdowns. Whether you're performing maintenance yourself, or your a comfort club member receiving professional tune-ups, don't skip out on maintenance this year, make sure you're getting the most out of your system!
Frequently Asked Questions
"How often should I be servicing my air conditioner?"
While there's no set time limit that you have to tune-up your air conditioner before it will fail, it's best to perform maintenance yearly in the spring time, when the temperature finally gets closer to 70°F or warmer.
"How long does AC maintenance take?"
Every home is different, so every system is different as well, but it generally takes around an hour to get your air conditioner ready for the summer. An hour of your time isn't too bad to ensure a summer without issues!
"When should I choose professional maintenance instead?"
There's a lot you can do to keep your air conditioner in top shape, but on especially old units, it can be tricky to determine if your air conditioner is going to give you another year of operation! If your HVAC system is in a hard to reach area, especially old and showing signs of wear, or worst of all, not cooling your house like it should, it's time to reach out to the pros.
"How much does a professional AC tune-up cost?"
WeatherWise charges $99.99 for a comprehensive air conditioner tune-up, although it's technically cheaper through the comfort club program. If you're in Troy, Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Rochester, or any of the surrounding areas in southeastern Michigan, reach out today for an expert analysis and same day service!
