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AC maintenance in Westmorland, CA

Small-town habits that make equipment last

Westmorland is one of the valley's smallest cities, a farming community near the southern end of the Salton Sea. Many homes here have older systems that have been running for years.

The good news: most of what makes an older system last is simple and cheap.

Five habits that extend equipment life

1. Change the filter on schedule. It's the single most important thing you can do. Write the date on the filter's edge when you install it.
2. Keep the outdoor unit clean and clear. Rinse the fins with a hose a few times a year (power off) and keep weeds and stored items away.
3. Get a tune-up before summer. Small parts like capacitors are inexpensive to replace in spring and costly when they fail in a heat wave.
4. Watch the drain line. A clogged condensate line can shut the system off or leak. Flush it with vinegar every few months in summer.
5. Listen and look. New noises, ice on the copper lines, or water around the indoor unit are early warnings worth acting on.

When to start budgeting for replacement

Systems in the Imperial Valley work harder than in milder climates, so they often wear out sooner. If your system is over 15 years old, needs refrigerant added every year, or needed a major repair last summer, it's worth getting a replacement estimate during the off-season, when you're not making the decision in a hurry.