Steve Absolum from Harrison & Higgins has been tending to air conditioning units all summer and says people have no idea what manner of things can sprout in a dirty machine.

“It’s not uncommon to find two or three inches of mud inside a unit these days,” he said.

“People used to call them swampys for a reason.”

In the past month alone, workers have encountered all kinds of unwelcome flora from inside Wagga units.

“We’ll pull out vines and all kinds of plant things from unkempt systems,” Mr Absolum said.

“When they aren’t serviced regularly or cleaned, anything can grow in there.”

With the summer rush in full swing, it’s best to check annually and clean your units in the off-season.

“People think their machine breaks after two years because it’s just clogged up with stuff - they should be serviced as often as your cars, really.”