Get matched with top heating and air conditioning pros in Cedar Falls, IA

You should clean your air conditioner at least once per year, but you may need to clean your whole HVAC system (including the air ducts) more often. According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, you may need to clean them more frequently depending on factors like whether you smoke, have pets, or have allergies.

No. Your furnace does not run your air conditioner. Both units use the same system of ductwork to move conditioned air throughout your home, but you can have a furnace without having an air conditioner and vice versa. Furnaces are only for heating your home. You can buy a system that does both, however, like a split system or a heat pump (yes, heat pumps cool, too).

Most units are designed only to cool the house down to 20 degrees less than the temperature outside. This means that if it’s 99 degrees Fahrenheit out and you’re trying to cool your home down to 65 degrees, you’ll notice your AC is struggling. 

Lower the blinds on all your windows, turn on your ceiling fans, and keep the thermostat at a consistent temperature to help your AC do its job. Investing in an HVAC maintenance plan also helps because pros will come out to inspect and tune up your unit regularly, keeping it in optimal working condition.

While all portable AC units will collect moisture as part of their cooling and dehumidifying process, whether and how often you need to drain them depends on what kind of unit you have and the natural humidity levels where you live. For example, if you live in a very dry area and have a self-evaporating unit, you may not need to drain your portable AC very often at all. Some units may automatically drain collected moisture out the window through their exhaust vent.