Ah, June. the days are long, and the weather’s getting toasty. But before you slather yourself with SPF 75 and reach for a margarita, do yourself a favor and tackle a few maintenance projects. A little pain now means a big gain later—you’ll ensure your home runs smoothly through the dog days of summer. But don’t worry; the folks at realtor.com want to make it as easy on you as possible. Here’s one you can knock out in no time: Check Your AC.
“The last thing you want is a busted air conditioner, so before a heat wave hits, give it a test run for 30 minutes to make sure it’s cooling properly,” says Dave Quandt, vice president of field operations at American Home Shield, a home warranty company.
Shortcut: To extend the life of your AC unit, adjust your programmable thermostat by only 2 to 3 degrees at a time and see how it’s functioning.
Call in the pros: If anything seems off, call in a professional HVAC company. You’ll spend between $100 and $250 for service, which includes cleaning the condenser and lubricating the fan motor. But when the outdoor temps go deep into the red zone, you’ll likely consider it money well-spent. And then you can get back to that frosty margarita. Don’t forget the umbrella.
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