Looks like it's time to bid farewell to another hot, humid summer and welcome a cooler season. But before you say goodbye, give your air conditioner a good cleaning to thank it for its hard work these past few months. AOL's Mr. Fix-It Eric Stromer shows us how...




An important thing to remember:
Call a technician if you have a defective condenser or any problems with the refrigeration system -- this is a closed system that you should not attempt to repair without the aid of a licensed provider.

And of course, the cleaner your air conditioner, the less maintenance you'll have in the long haul. As with all appliances, keep your unit clean, tidy and up to date on all repairs and/or maintenance checks. You'll be glad you did when next summer's heat wave hits!

Speaking of air conditioner's, consider a fun (and green!) way to garden with the last few days of air conditioner use you've got...

I'm horrible at keeping my plants happy and healthy, and even my outdoor plants often suffer from my forgetfulness. There's just too much to think about, and unless it's raining, I all too often forget about my dear green friends. Naturally, I'm filing this green idea under "Why didn't I think of that?".

Plant a tiny garden under the condensation pipe of your air conditioner. Regardless of your A/C model, water will drip from the pipe daily, keeping your garden healthy, wealthy and wise. Although the water that drips isn't a lot by any means, it's consistent, giving your plants plenty of water to grow.

Of course, be sure to choose plants that will only grow a few feet tall so the pipe won't be blocked by their leafy greens! Try dwarf azalea, holly fern and vinca, as they only grow up to three feet tall and enjoy shaded areas.

Now you'll have an excuse to crank up the A/C on those hot summer days!

The box air-conditioning unit is a necessary evil for many apartment dwellers. (Those of you about to head off to college, take note!) These things come with a few big cons: they are noisy, they are unsightly, they block the view out of your window, and they are a pain in the neck to install and uninstall.

At least the unsightliness factor is something you can fix! Here are a few suggestions for hiding your air conditioning unit from New York Magazine:

• Decorate it with something pretty like wallpaper scraps.
• Build a decorative cabinet around it, but be careful not to block air flow.
• Disguise it from view with a sheer curtain.
• Hide it with a screen.
• Cover it with artwork and frame it.

[via Apartment Therapy]

Aaahh. The cool breeze of the ceiling fan is absolute heaven here in Tallahassee, Florida, where the summers are swelteringly hot and humid. In fact, this fair town -- Florida's capital -- was just voted 3rd sweatiest city in the country. A dubious distinction if ever there was one....

Anyway, when it's this hot, ceiling fans really help cool you down. Plus they help save you money: the more you rely on your fans, the less electrical juice you'll need running the a/c. Anyway, to get the best from your fans, make sure they are set to rotate counter-clockwise in summer.

Most ceiling fan-light fixture combos can be easily adjusted by flicking a small switch on the electrical housing somewhere on the unit. For example, the switch on one of my ceiling fans is clearly visible in the above photo.

Want more ceiling fan advice? Check out Dan's post on how to silence a noisy fan. For tons of helpful info on choosing and installing ceiling fans, click over to Kelly's post, 'Install a ceiling fan now!' or this one from Bill: 'Ceiling fans: how cool are they?'

[via Lifehacker.]

While I silently smirk when people refer to their car with endearing names, there is something to be said for giving your car the love it needs to love you back. A well maintained car will serve you faithfully for years. We all know the basics: Keep up on your oil changes and make the necessary repairs as they come up. If you really want to extend the life of your ride you'll want to take extra care, considering all the details and tending to some seemingly obscure tips.

These 75 ways to keep your car in top-notch condition will minimize your headaches and significantly extend your vehicle's life. The Reader's Digest article covers everything from the break in period, to sun protection and tire tread safety. I found this to be the most clear and comprehensive collection of tips. One of the easiest ones to implement and probably the most effective tool for easily detecting a problem is #8: Keep an auto log. More details about this tip after the break.