Moving to St Petersburg, Florida, was a big change for me! I grew up in the northeastern part of the country, where the summers are short & winters are brutal… There was no need for central air conditioner; My friend and I got by with window a/cs in the kitchens, & there were years when the units were unnecessary. The boiler ran for eight straight months, handling temperatures down to pitfall twenty-five, however snow shovels, ice scrapers, rock salt, heavy boots & wool coats were essential. I was eager to head south. I expected drastic heat & humidity however didn’t totally understand the difficulties. Running an a/c just about year round is expensive. The excess humidity creates concerns with indoor air quality. It encourages the growth of mold, mildew, dust mites, bacteria, viruses & cockroaches. The Summer weather in St Petersburg is as problematic as the winter weather up north. It’s essential to tighten up the property to prevent energy waste. I am once again trapped indoors for months at a time, however when the temperature soars into the nineties, I feel fatigued, sluggish & unproductive. I’ve learned the importance of taking entirely superb care of the a/c. To make sure it operates at peak efficiency, capacity & reliability, I change the air filters every four to six weeks. I arrange for professional service from a local St Petersburg Heating, Ventilation, & A/C contractor every Springtime. The serviceman cleans the condensate drain & coils, tests the refrigerant charge, verifies the accuracy of the temperature control, tightens wires & makes little adjustments. I make sure that the HVAC duct gets checked for leaks & cleanliness as well.