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It is time to get your central air conditioner ready for summer. The most important thing to do is to make sure that there is free air circulation through the outdoor condenser coils. This is easy to do. First switch off the electric power to the air conditioner at the circuit breaker box. You can also do this at the outdoor unit, but it is best to do it at the main circuit breaker panel.
Remove the sheet metal screws and lift off the sheet metal cover. Clean out an leaves, sticks, etc. that are in the coils. If there are any bent fins, straighten them with the tip of a knife. Replace the sheet metal cover and tighten all the screws. Also, check the clearance around the air conditioner. All shrubs and landscaping should be at least one foot away to the air conditioner.