You might be running your heater right now, but you're going to need your air conditioner in just a few months. When you do, you'll want to make sure that it's ready to pull its weight around the house. While your heater is busy keeping you warm, your air conditioner is sitting dormant, being affected by the cold weather. By servicing your air conditioner during the spring, you won't need to be without cool air once the summer heat arrives. Here are some maintenance steps you can take to make sure your air conditioner can handle the heat.

Don't Neglect Your Ducts

When getting your air conditioner ready for the summer, you need to make sure that the duct work is in good condition. Your duct work is exposed to the elements, which means cold weather, and even pests, can cause serious damage. First, the cold weather can cause your duct work to get brittle. Second, pests can chew through the duct work. Once your duct work is damaged. Air won't be able to flow through to your home properly. Damaged ducts can prevent undermine the energy efficiency of your home. To make sure your ducts are ready for summer, have them inspected for damage.

Clear the Obstructions Around the Vents

When summer arrives, you're going to want good air flow through to your home. You're not going to get that air flow if your vents are obstructed. The first thing you should do is make sure your vents aren't blocked by furniture, or other items. It's also a good idea to make sure that all your vents are opened, and pointed out towards the room. If your vents are pointed towards the wall, or they're closed, your air conditioner isn't going to work properly.

Don't Get Stuck with Mold in the Lines

If you didn't shut your air conditioner down for the winter, you could have mold growing in the condensation line. During the summer, the condensation line fills with excess moisture that should drain from the air conditioner. If the drain line wasn't cleaned properly, that moisture could have been growing mold for almost a year once you start up the system again. To make sure your home doesn't smell like mold when you start your air conditioner up again next summer, you need to clean the drain line. The easiest way to clean the line is to disconnect it from the air conditioner, pour a small amount of bleach into the tube, and clean it with a wire pipe cleaner.

Have Your Thermostat Calibrated

If you've got problems with your thermostat, your air conditioner isn't going to work properly. If your thermostat isn't calibrated, you could be wasting energy. To make sure your thermostat is ready for the work ahead, be sure to have it calibrated before summer arrives. Without a properly calibrated thermostat, your temperature settings could be off by several degrees. Don't wait until summer arrives. Contact your HVAC repair company and have them come out and make sure your thermostat is adjusted.