Though there can be a bit of wiggle room, generally speaking, you should have your air conditioner serviced twice yearly: once in the fall and once in the spring. This is to ensure that it's clean, that its parts are in good shape and that it's operating as optimally as possible.

HVAC maintenance costs are around $250 for the average homeowner, but you should expect to spend between $100 and $650 . For maintenance on a split AC and heating unit, you might spend up to $350 for routine maintenance.

The most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters reduce the amount of airflow and significantly reduce a system's efficiency.

The team will clean the filters and replace any if necessary. Replacement filters on split air conditioning systems are manufacturer-specific, so they would need to be ordered. But generally, they're of a plastic variety and can be washed, cleaned, and put back in.