PHOENIX — Air conditioners are working overtime as we reach warmer temperatures.
On April 4th temperatures were in the 60s and one week later we are one degree shy of triple-digit heat, reaching a record high of 99 degrees.
ABC15 wanted to know how people can best prepare for the scorching temperatures ahead.
So, we went out to a service call with Rickey Rodriquez, a senior technician with Day & Night Air Conditioning, Furnace & Plumbing.
"I'm testing the capacitors. These are what help the motors go," he explained.
Rodriquez says right now, calls are really starting to come in.
“This customer is trying to get as much out of it as possible. He’s retired and can’t work,” he told ABC15.
That customer is Stuart Francke, who had his air conditioner serviced by Day & Night Air Conditioning, Furnace & Plumbing for the last 10 years.
“They’re doing routine maintenance right now for the change, over from the heating season to the cooling season,” said Francke.
He says his home was heating up, from one day to the next.
“And so, it’s an overnight switch,” Francke added.
Buzz Frankel, a service manager with Day & Night Air Conditioning, Furnace & Plumbing was also there.
Frankel tells ABC15 the key to staying cool is maintaining your A/C.
“Seasonal maintenance is very important to check all the electrical components. The refrigerant calibration. Just making sure that the system is going to cool properly in the hotter days of the year,” he said.
He also says you can also prep your home.
“You’re going to start with your filter. Making sure they are clean and maintained. Generally, in the summer season replacing those every 30 days is very important," said Frankel.
Additionally, it’s also important to regularly change out your filters and keep your A/C clear from any brush and debris.
He also suggests you give your air conditioning unit a break from time to time and save some cash by turning on ceiling fans and setting your thermostat to a higher temperature when you leave.
“Your air conditioning is going to run, and it’s going to run a lot during the day. So yes, we are going to experience higher bills, unfortunately,” Frankel told ABC15.
The reality is, this is just the beginning because these hot temperatures are sticking around for a while.
“I may run three, four calls a day. Yeah, it can get really busy,” said Rodriquez.
Rodriquez and Frankel tell ABC15 their busiest time is during summer when the Valley is in the thick of triple-digit heat.
They say that’s when air conditioning units start breaking down, especially those that have not been properly maintained.
