Maintenance & Seasonal
What’s on a yearly AC maintenance checklist?
A step-by-step checklist for Des Moines homeowners — what you can safely handle yourself and what to leave to a technician — so your AC is ready before the Iowa heat.
The checklist
How do I maintain my air conditioner?
A yearly AC checklist covers the filter, outdoor condenser, condensate drain, refrigerant charge, coils, and electrical. In Des Moines, IA, run through it in spring, before the first humid heat wave — the homeowner steps below are safe to do yourself, and the rest belong to a technician.
- 1
Turn off power to the unit
DIYBefore any hands-on work, shut off the AC at the thermostat and the outdoor disconnect or breaker so nothing can start while you are at the equipment.
- 2
Replace or clean the air filter
DIYInstall a fresh filter (or wash a reusable one). A clogged filter chokes airflow and is the most common cause of weak cooling and a frozen coil.
- 3
Clear and rinse the outdoor condenser
DIYRemove leaves, grass, and cottonwood seed, keep about two feet of clearance, and gently rinse the fins from inside out with a garden hose.
- 4
Check the condensate drain line
DIYIn Iowa's humid summers the drain clogs and overflows. Confirm it drains freely; a wet/dry vac on the outlet can clear a light clog.
- 5
Inspect insulation on the refrigerant line
DIYThe larger copper line should have intact foam insulation. Cracked or missing insulation hurts efficiency and is an easy thing to flag.
- 6
Test the thermostat and a full cooling cycle
DIYSet it to cool a few degrees below room temperature and confirm cool air arrives within a few minutes and the cycle completes normally.
- 7
Have a pro check refrigerant charge and the coils
ProA technician measures the refrigerant charge, checks for leaks, deep-cleans the evaporator and condenser coils, and verifies airflow and temperature split.
- 8
Have a pro inspect electrical and the blower
ProThe capacitor, contactor, wiring, and blower motor wear over time. A professional tightens connections and catches parts that are about to fail.
Prefer to have the pro steps handled every spring? Our maintenance plans schedule the cooling tune-up before each IA summer so the technical work is covered.
Iowa local truth
“Hosing off the outdoor unit is enough.” Rinsing helps, but a real checklist also verifies the refrigerant charge, clears the condensate drain — which clogs and overflows in Des Moines’s humid summers — and checks the electrical connections that quietly wear out and strand you mid-heat-wave.
Common questions
When should I do AC maintenance in Iowa?
Do the full checklist in spring, before the first humid heat wave. Testing the system early means any problem surfaces while service is easy to schedule, not in the middle of a July heat wave when you need cooling most.
What AC maintenance can I do myself?
Homeowners can safely change the filter, clear and rinse the outdoor unit, check the condensate drain, eyeball the line insulation, and test a cooling cycle. Refrigerant, coil cleaning, and electrical work should be left to a technician.
How do I keep my AC coil from freezing?
Keep airflow strong: change the filter on schedule, keep vents open, and keep the outdoor unit clear. If the coil still ices up, the cause is often low refrigerant or a deeper airflow problem — see our guide on why an AC freezes up, or call All Seasons HVAC.
Is an AC tune-up the same as this checklist?
A professional tune-up covers the pro steps here — refrigerant, coil cleaning, and electrical — plus a safety check. All Seasons HVAC maintenance plans bundle that visit each spring so the technical work is done for you.