As wonderful as it feels to walk into a cool room on a hot summer day, it's important to remember that things may not remain so cool and comfortable if you do not take care of your AC units. Air conditioning units require tune-ups and upkeep to make sure that they are working properly and cooling off your home efficiently.

Cleaning your filter is a critical aspect of keeping your air conditioning unit working properly. Tiny particles of mold and dust remain trapped in the filter, and after a certain level of buildup, if the filters are not cleaned, this slows down your unit's functionality considerably. Filters should be rinsed off with warm, soapy water and left to dry completely before being reinstalled.

There is a great deal of dust build-up within the air conditioning unit as well. The crevice attachment for your vacuum cleaner can go a long way in helping you to remove some of the build-up. Carefully vacuum around all of the air conditioner's coils as well as the front screen.

The above two steps can increase your air conditioner's performance up to 15%.

You should also regularly check around your window air conditioning unit to make sure that there are no open spaces or gaps in the windowsill that houses the AC. These gaps can let in unwanted heat and humidity, which significantly slows down the efficiency of your unit.

Carefully inspect your air conditioner's coil fins. If any of them are bent, carefully bend them back into place. Alternatively, you can use a special "comb" that can be purchased in appliance or hardware stores.

Make sure to also inspect the areas outside your home around your window air conditioners. Weeds and shrubs tend to grow quickly, and might be obstructing your unit without you even realizing. It's important to keep the immediate area surrounding the air conditioning unit clear, so should any weeds or shrubs need to be removed, do so quickly.

Monitor your energy bills and compare them to similar months in years past. If you notice any major increases, your air conditioning unit might be due for a tune up. You can easily take all of these above steps yourself before calling in a professional. However, should you find that your AC unit is not working properly, and you have done all of the "tuning up" you can do on your own, consider if you would like to have your unit serviced or if it would be worth it to purchase a new one.