How Often Should An Air Conditioner Be Serviced & Can You Do The Maintenance Yourself?

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Whether it's the air conditioner (also known as AC and part of the HVAC system) in our car, our home, or a recreational vehicle, those of us that live in warm climates depend on the cool air they produce to keep us comfortable. In order to prevent some of the most common problems with air conditioners, it's important to have them serviced regularly.

Many AC pros recommend an annual inspection and service for home AC systems as a general rule. During an annual preventive maintenance service call, you should expect a qualified, licensed, and insured technician to inspect the air conditioner's electrical connections, clean the AC coils, check the refrigerant levels, and look for any signs of current or potential leaks or other problems.

While annual AC service is the standard recommendation, depending on the type of system you have, your climate, and how often you use your AC, you should consider more frequent service, or at least more frequent maintenance. For example, if you live in a climate where you only use the AC for a few months during the summer, your AC performs less work than a unit tasked with keeping a home cool in the southern states nine or more months each year. If your AC runs 24/7/365, it might be wise to have it serviced more frequently than once per year. 

In addition, different types of AC units have average lifespans that vary from around 8 years up to 20 years. If yours is nearing retirement age, more frequent service could extend its lifespan or at least prevent an unexpected breakdown.

The recommended annual, or more frequent, professional AC service provided by licensed technicians includes checking the refrigerant levels and recharging the system as necessary. It's one step of the process that keeps the system operating at peak performance, and it's not a task that the average unlicensed DIYer can legally perform.

That does not mean that you should ignore your HVAC system in between professional check-ups. One thing everyone that uses air conditioning should do on a regular basis is inspecting the HVAC filter and clean or replace it as needed. If you don't clean or replace your HVAC filter when it gets dirty it can restrict airflow, cause icing of the AC coils, and lead to inefficient operation of the system.

While you're replacing the filter with a new or freshly cleaned one, take the time to wipe out the filter enclosure with a soft rag. Using a vacuum with a narrow tip or a long soft brush, like those designed to clean lint from dryer vents, available on Amazon or home improvement stores, can help get into tight spaces. However, be careful not to jam anything past where you can see to avoid damaging any internal components or sealed duct work.

If your thermostat takes batteries it's a good idea to replace them before they die. One approach is to change thermostat batteries on the same schedule as those in your smoke detectors.