Guides / Updated 2026-10-14
What to do with the AC after a long Florida summer
The worst of summer is over. The system just ran for months. October is when a small problem is still cheap, and hurricane season is not finished.
The short list
Look at the filter. If it is gray, replace it. Pour a cup of water in the condensate drain if you know where the cleanout is, and confirm it leaves the house instead of backing into the pan. Walk around the outdoor unit and pull back anything that grew against the coil. Two feet of clear space is enough.
What can wait, and what cannot
A system that cooled all summer and still starts cleanly can wait for the next maintenance visit. A system that iced up, short cycled, or tripped the breaker in August should be looked at now. Parts are easier to get in October than during the first hot week of spring.
Storms are not done
Hurricane season runs through November. If a storm is on the way, shut the system down if water is rising around the pad, and do not start a unit that was flooded. That is a call, not a reset.