2 of 11

Clean Up Your A/C(T)

Whether you have central air or window units, your air conditioning system has been collecting dust and winter debris for months. Before you switch it on for the first time—and suck all that accumulated junk into your system—you should replace old filters and clean your unit's coils and intake ducts, advises Ron Hazelton, a home-improvement pro and host of the syndicated Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls. Just be careful not to bend the fins on those coils, he stresses. If you smell anything funky, you may have mold or mildew in your ducts, and should have them inspected by a professional, Hazelton says. (This is an industry rife with BS, so ask friends for reliable contractors, and get several estimates, he suggests.)



