American Home Shield, the nation’s leading provider of home protection plans and founder of the home warranty industry, knows that the home matters. In a series of videos, American Home Shield has provided some sound tips to help you maintain your home in every way. In this installment, AHS offers simple steps to stay cool this summer by ensuring that your air conditioning system is fully functioning.

A month before the truly hot weather hits your area and the AC gets put on full blast, you should have your system checked and serviced, by a qualified professional, as a preventative measure. Air conditioning service professionals are highly busy during the summer months and no one wants to be left with a defunct air conditioner in scorching hot temperatures. You, as the home owner, can play a major role in ensuring that problems don’t arise throughout the season. For starters, keep the unit clear of any debris, like leaves. Also, make sure that shrubbery and plants are well groomed to guarantee proper air flow for the unit. Another interesting tidbit from the video was that if the fins on the condensing unit become bent, they can easily be straightened with a thin comb; who would have thought?

For more simple American Home Shield tips that you can apply to maintaining your home check back on our blog or visit AHS.com.