While it might seem like everything is just dandy and nothing bad ever happens in fairytale land, we live, unfortunately, in the real world where things do go wrong. What's worse is the things you don't want to go wrong invariably do go wrong when you really don't want them to.
Like when the summer comes around along with high temperatures and as soon as you crank up the AC, it cranks down again with a groan, a splutter and a death rattle.
Man, you do NOT want that to happen just as things are getting hot and sweaty! So what can you do to keep that awful disaster from happening (at least to the best of your ability)?
Well, the simplest and often most common thing you can remedy is to make sure your vents and ducts are clear. Sometimes falling leaves and other debris get trapped in vents and sometimes it gets into ductwork. blocking the free flow of air that really helps an air conditioner work at its best efficiency level.
It's not a hard job but one that can get a little dirty, but it is certainly one that most people with a hint of practicality in their bones can perform. A simple hand brush can take care of clearing out leaves and dust bunnies from vents. A gloved hand can reach into ducts and grab anything that might be blocking the works near enough to the ends where you can reach them.
Sure, there may be times when you need some professional help to completely clear ducts from one end to the other. That's when having a maintenance contract with a local HVAC service company comes in very helpful indeed.
However, if you get the feeling your AC is not blowing as cold as it could, a simple bit of detective work around vents can often uncover easy-to-clear blockages that can restore the air flow and help your AC do its job more efficiently (and for that, read more cheaply as it will use less energy to do its job).