Central air conditioners can begin to wear down after years of use, and it’s always a good idea to do maintenance and make any necessary repairs at the start of each warm season. Because central air conditioning systems are large and contain lots of different elements, many homeowners assume that they can’t make any of the repairs themselves. However, if your air conditioner is still in more-or-less working order and doesn’t need any major repairs, you can take care of most of the routine maintenance on your own.


Before getting started, however, note whether or not the evaporator and condenser elements of your system are sealed. If they are, then they should only be serviced by a professional. Also, before doing any maintenance, make sure that the power to the air conditioner and all of its components is completely shut off.

Clean the evaporator

If you have access to the evaporator, you can clean in a few simple steps:

  1. Remove the foil-wrapped insulation carefully. Keep the tape intact, as you’ll be replacing it later. Remove the screws in the access plate and lift it away.

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