As the month of May gets underway, temperatures are rising. Make sure your maintenance staff has properly serviced all air conditioners before tenants put them back to heavy use. Doing the proper maintenance now will save you serious money later on repairs and energy bills, and avoid annoying downtime for your tenants. Follow these tips to keep things in good working order:

• Inspect all air conditioner filters once a month. Clean or replace as needed.
• Check the air conditioner evaporator and condenser coils once a year for dirt and clean as necessary.
• Make sure foliage, dirt and debris is clear of outdoor air conditioner condenser units.
• Use a fin comb to straighten the fins on the coil if they become bent.
• Clean the air conditioning unit’s drain channels with a stiff wire to prevent clogs.
• Inspect window seals around window AC units.
• Check refrigerant levels
• Oil motors and check belts

For more information, visit Energy.gov’s tips for maintaining your air conditioner.