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Here Comes the Cottonwood — Is Your A/C Ready?

Greg Nelson

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If you live in Ohio, you know the signs: It’s late spring, it’s warming up fast, and that fluffy white cottonwood is floating through the air like it owns the place. It may look peaceful drifting by, but don’t let it fool you—cottonwood is one of the worst things for your A/C system.

What Cottonwood Does to Your A/C

Those soft, sticky seed pods get sucked right into the sides of your outdoor condenser unit. If you're not keeping it clean, that fuzz can quickly coat the coil, choke off airflow, and turn your efficient cooling machine into an overheating, energy-wasting mess.

But it doesn’t stop there…

When cottonwood clogs up your outdoor unit, it forces your entire system to work harder—including your indoor filter. Before long, cottonwood and debris make their way inside, gumming up your filter faster than usual. That can lead to:

  • ⚠️ Poor indoor airflow
  • ⚠️ Frozen coils
  • ⚠️ Compressor failure
  • ⚠️ Total system breakdown

Yes—all from ignoring the outside of your unit.

What Homeowners Should Do:

  • Take a walk outside: Check your unit. If you see cottonwood stuck to the sides, it’s time to act.
  • Turn off the power and gently hose off the coils from the inside out, or better yet—
  • Schedule a professional cleaning. Our tune-ups include outdoor coil cleaning, and we’ll inspect your filter, refrigerant levels, and electrical components while we’re at it.

Don’t Let Fluff Take Down Your A/C

This time of year, we see it constantly—calls for broken systems that could’ve been avoided with a little spring cleaning.

💨 Don't wait until it's too late.
We’re local, we know Ohio’s seasons, and we’re here to help. Call Service First Heating and Cooling and let us clear out the cottonwood before it clogs up your comfort.

📞 Book your A/C tune-up today and keep your system running smooth, even when the fluff is flying.

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