How to Prepare Your AC for San Antonio's Summer Heat

This is the simplest and most overlooked maintenance step. A clogged air filter forces your AC to work harder, reduces airflow, drives up your CPS Energy bill, and can lead to frozen evaporator coils. In San Antonio, where pollen, dust, and cedar allergens are a constant issue, filters should be replaced every 30 to 60 days during cooling season.

Check your filter right now. If it looks gray or clogged, replace it today. A clean filter alone can improve your system's efficiency by 5 to 15 percent.

Your condenser unit — the large box outside your home — needs at least two feet of clearance on all sides to dissipate heat effectively. Over the winter and spring, bushes, weeds, leaves, and debris can encroach on the unit and restrict airflow. Trim back vegetation, remove any buildup on or around the unit, and make sure the fins are not bent or clogged with dirt.

If the fins are visibly dirty, a gentle rinse with a garden hose (not a pressure washer) can make a noticeable difference in performance.

Do not wait until the first 100-degree day to find out your AC is not working. Turn your thermostat to cooling mode and set it a few degrees below room temperature. The system should kick on within a minute or two, and you should feel cold air at the vents within five minutes.

Listen for unusual sounds — grinding, squealing, or banging can indicate a failing motor, loose component, or refrigerant issue. If something sounds off or the air is not getting cold, schedule a service call now while HVAC technicians still have availability.

A professional AC tune-up covers what you cannot do yourself. A licensed HVAC technician will check refrigerant levels, inspect the evaporator and condenser coils, test electrical connections and capacitors, verify thermostat calibration, inspect the condensate drain line for clogs, and evaluate overall system performance.

This annual service catches small problems before they become expensive emergency repairs in July. At CSW Power Solutions, our HVAC technicians (License TACLA26479R) perform thorough seasonal tune-ups for homeowners across San Antonio, including Alamo Ranch, Helotes, Boerne, Stone Oak, and the entire northwest side.

If your AC system is more than 12 to 15 years old, requires frequent repairs, or uses R-22 refrigerant (which is no longer manufactured), replacement may be the smarter financial decision. Modern systems with higher SEER ratings use significantly less energy and cool more effectively — an important factor when your AC runs nearly nonstop from June through September in San Antonio.

CSW Power Solutions helps homeowners evaluate whether repair or replacement makes more sense for their situation. As a veteran-owned company with in-house HVAC, electrical, and plumbing crews, we handle the full installation — including any electrical panel upgrades or ductwork modifications — under one roof with one team. Call 210-504-9796 for a free estimate.

A programmable or smart thermostat can save 10 to 15 percent on cooling costs by automatically adjusting temperatures when you are away or asleep. If you are still using a basic thermostat, upgrading to a programmable model is one of the easiest and most cost-effective improvements you can make before summer.

Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and higher when you are away. Every degree below 78 increases your energy bill by roughly 3 to 5 percent during peak cooling months.