DENVER (KDVR) – As temperatures soared into the mid-90s Friday, many fired up the air conditioning for the first time this summer. 

And with high temperatures forecasted across the state through the weekend, you may need to leave it on. 

“People are turning their systems on for the first time and realizing oh, it’s not working,” Plumbline Services’ Jason Gerlach said.

Gerlach said that Plumbline’s emergency line has been busy. He spent Friday afternoon working up a sweat in a Thornton backyard where vines had grown into an outdoor AC unit. 

“This one had quite a bit of vine growth, as well as some cottonwood growth growing up along the coils,” he said. “That’s going to cause the system to run higher temperatures.”

He explained that there are a few simple tips you can take to keep your unit running longer, and more efficiently. 

First, he recommended that you spray off the coils inside the unit a couple of times a summer. 

This can be done by taking a hose (not a power washer) and gently spraying water on the sides of your unit where the grates are. Gerlach recommends spraying at an upward angle to get around your hail guard. 

 “If those coils are dirty, your system’s not going to be able to move that heat from the refrigerant,” he said. “So you’re not going to get that proper efficiency and cooling of the system.”

Gerlach said it’s also important to set your temperature inside to the right number.

“Most systems are only designed to drop 20 degrees below the outside temperature,” he said. “So anything 70 and above is going to be the maximum efficiency of the system.”

Gerlach also recommended replacing the air filter in your furnace once a month.