The perfect example to use would be how long can your car operate without a problem between services? The same applies with your air conditioner. Having your unit cleaned annually will not only help provide clean healthy air for your family, but will lessen the working loads on the unit. Your air conditioner is not designed to operate with blocked filters, a blocked coil or a blocked scroll fan, so you can see how keeping a clean air conditioner not only benefits your well being but also limits the likelihood of a breakdown.