This summer has been especially brutal for most of the United States. The south and the Midwest have been experiencing temperatures of more than 90 degrees for most of the season. These kinds of temperatures put a lot of strain on your AC unit. The extra strain can cause it to break if you don't maintain it more often. If you live in an area that has been hit hard by the heat, you need to follow these tips for maintaining your air conditioner.

Change Your Air Filter

Most people change their air filter every three or four months—maybe once per season. When your air conditioner is running constantly, you should probably change it every couple of weeks. Your air conditioner works by removing the heat from your home, pushing it outside via Freon, while cooling the inside of your home. Your air conditioning unit does this by breathing the air that's inside of your home. Breathing the air with a clogged air filter is like you trying to breathe with a clogged lung. You'd never get a deep enough breath. The more it breathes, the more often your air filter needs to be changed. If your AC is constantly running, check your filter every week to see if it needs to be changed.

Clean Your Condenser Coils

Your air filter isn't the only thing that keeps your air conditioner breathing properly. Your condenser coils need to be surrounded by fresh air to cool your home properly. If they're clogged and dirty, it's going to work much harder and less efficiently. Cleaning your condenser coils is easy. Make sure you turn your thermostat to off so your AC doesn't kick on while you're working. Unscrew the top of your air conditioner and pull the guard off. You'll see the coils right inside. If any leaves or twigs got through the grate, pull out the debris with your hands. Any grime left in your unit can simply be hosed off.

Check Leaks & Drainage

Look around your air conditioning unit to make sure there are no leaks and that your condensation is draining properly. Any Freon leaks should be addressed immediately. The substance is highly toxic and can put children and pets in life-threatening danger if they ingest it. An HVAC professional can properly clean it up, fix the leak, and refill your unit. If condensation is pooling instead of draining away from your unit, that needs to be addressed as well.

Maintaining your air conditioner is extremely important, especially when summers are abnormally hot. You also need to have an HVAC professional, such as those found at Rosen Energy Group, perform expert maintenance toward the end of summer to address any wear and tear caused by the unit running so much.