A TikTok user created a short yet informative video to warn others about the risk of incurring a hefty bill due to the seeds of a common tree.
The scoop
Sway and Sarah Build (@swayandsarahbuild) posted the clip, and they open with the warning: "If you've been seeing this stuff all over your neighborhood, it means your AC unit probably looks like this."
@swayandsarahbuild Friendly PSA: Your AC probably needs to be cleaned. This DIY will save you $200+! #homeownertips #diyproject #diy #airconditioning #hometips #summertips ♬ original sound - Sway + Sarah | DIY PROJECTS
In this case, they are referring to the seeds of the eastern cottonwood, a widely disturbed tree species in the United States. Its range extends across a broad area from Texas to Montana, so millions of households could be at risk.
The video explains that calling a professional would cost about $200 to clean, but it's easy for homeowners to do it themselves.
The rest of the clip talks viewers through the process from dismantling the unit and using a shop vac and low-powered hose to wash away the accumulated debris from the cottonwood. After it's done, "you can congratulate yourself because you just saved $200 and potentially more in damages."
How it's helping
As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By taking care of maintenance issues when they're still minor problems, it saves a lot of headaches later on. A clean AC unit won't use nearly as much energy as one clogged with cottonwood or with a clogged drain.
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There are other innovative ways to reduce utility bills, such as weatherizing your home and making it a smart home. Additionally, just unplugging unused devices minimizes the impact of so-called energy vampires.
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What everyone's saying
A couple of commenters expressed alarm that they hadn't thought of attending to their units sooner.
One said, "Huh ok so I'm pretty sure we've never done this in the decade that we've owned this home."
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Definitely 👍 Another asked where to find the unit, saying, "We have never done this."
On the other hand, other commenters took maintaining their AC units very seriously.
"Spray it every month .. I do it spring winter summer fall," said one comment.
Another made a clever suggestion to make the process easier: "We put screen around ours and hold in place with magnets. Then just clean the screen to clear extra cotton off the outside."
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