Ah, central air conditioning. In many parts of the United States it's practically a necessity. What did people ever do before it? And what can they do if it quits working on a hot day? Let's see.

How Does It Work?

A central air conditioner is a large appliance system that cools an entire residence. It has two separate components: the condenser and the evaporator. The condenser unit typically is located outside the house. The evaporator coil is mounted with or near the heating furnace, so the furnace blower can circulate the cool air throughout the house. Coolant lines run from the condenser to the evaporator, taking heat from the house and moving it outside.

What Can Go Wrong?

Air conditioners are complex and repairing them requires specialized training. Even so, you can handle routine maintenance and some minor repairs yourself. If not, you can more clearly explain to the technician what's wrong, saving the technician some expensive time.

Fix-It Tip

You can reduce repair costs by having your central air conditioning system checked and tuned up once a year--maybe during the fall when air conditioning technicians aren't as busy. They will test the refrigerant and other components as well as clean the unit. You can save a few bucks by cleaning it up and replacing filters yourself before the technician arrives.