I know where I live there is no way I could deal with a summer without air conditioning. I know this because I had to deal without AC for 3 weeks in July one year. It was over 90 inside my home all day long. I thought my dog was going to die.. literally. We ended up in a hotel for a few days and then we rented a RV to sleep in just so we could survive. It was a heat wave and all of the AC techs were backed up and we needed a new unit. Because of that, we make sure that we keep our air conditioning unit in tip top shape by having preventative maintenance done each spring. It is an affordable check up on the air conditioning unit that a local company, like EDS Air Conditioning, performs for us. There are also some tips that you can do to make sure your unit is ready for summer. 
One of the easiest things you can do is make sure your filter is changed regularly. This is a an easy thing you can do to make sure airflow is maintained to the unit. If you live in a dusty area, make sure to check it at least every 2 weeks, especially during peak seasons, like summer. You can also clean the coils and clean out any dust and debris from the unit. Check the blades and the belts. If anything looks worn, replace it or call for service. You can also check the bearings and oil them if they are squeaking. Test the thermostat and make sure that is working properly.
If it is old, has wires hanging or is not in good shape, consider replacing it before it stops working on you. If you see any issues, make sure to call someone before it breaks. Also schedule a routine maintenance yearly so you know your air conditioning unit is in good working order for the hard summer push. They will add coolants, check the internal working of the unit and provide an maintenance your unit will need.
It is much more affordable to take care of a problem before it breaks instead of sweltering on 110 weather in July, like we had to do. That is not something I am willing to experience again!
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It is very important for us to have a good functioning air condition unit,so I do have yearly maintenance check and change the filter. However, you reminded me that especially with all these storms it is important to check the unit for debris and clean that out.
I admit I only change the filter once before summer starts. Here in Colorado it cools off at night and usually isn’t too hot during the day so I don’t run it very much.