CPS Energy will give your air conditioning system a free tuneup

Regular inspections and tune-ups help ensure that central air systems operate efficiently and don't wear out early. CPS Energy will provide a free tune-up for your home A/C system.

Having your central air system inspected and tuned up is one of those home maintenance chores it's easy to put off — and put off and put off.

CPS Energy will get it done for you for free.

It's part of the city-owned utility's Save for Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) to rein in energy consumption in the San Antonio area, and it's "offered at no cost to you."

They call it the High-Performance A/C Tune-Up, and here's how it works.

Any CPS residential customer with a single-family home and a central air system or heat pump that's at least a year old and is in "good working order."

Window A/C units aren't eligible. Neither are chillers or geothermal units.

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If you've gotten a free tune-up courtesy of CPS in the last five years, you're not eligible.

And it has to be at least 75 degrees outside for the technician to perform a proper tune-up. That's usually not a problem in San Antonio in the summer.

A tech from a "participating contractor" referred by CPS.

They'll measure your system's indoor air flow and make adjustments as needed. When air flow is poor, your system runs less efficiently, meaning it burns more energy and costs you more to operate, and it won't cool your house as effectively. Lots of things can interfere with air flow — a blocked vent, leaky ductwork, a dirty filter.

The tech also will clean your outdoor condenser coil. The outdoor coil releases the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in your system. If it isn't working right, the refrigerant can become too hot or too cold, and that will cause you problems.

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The tech will take a look at the indoor coil and the blower fan and clean them, too, if necessary — provided they're accessible.

They'll inspect the air filter, but if it needs to be changed, you'll have to provide the replacement filter or pay for it.

They'll also measure the refrigerant in your system. If you need more, they won't add it as part of the free tune-up, but they'll estimate how much you need.

CPS says a tune-up would cost you $200 if you arranged it on your own.

"This state-of-the-art service helps boost your A/C's performance while improving cooling output by up to 25 percent," according to the utility. CPS says a tune-up will also reduce wear and tear on your system and make it last longer.

As part of the tune-up, the tech will give you "customized recommendations to improve your A/C's efficiency and performance."

CPS says the tech also may identify repairs "that need attention" and — you guessed it — "there may be additional costs associated with those repairs." CPS will not pay those costs.

You're under no obligation to make any repairs. If you decide to do so, CPS encourages you to get quotes from multiple contractors.

Go here to register. Review the eligibility criteria, fill out the form and click "submit."

If you want to talk to a human being, call CPS at 210-353-2728.

Our region is one of the fastest growing in the country. Demand for power keeps increasing, and that places a strain on the grid. That's why CPS offers its customers incentives to use energy efficiently — including rebates to upgrade your attic insulation, install a solar-powered water heater, plant shade trees or put a reflective "cool roof" on your house.