Valley residents unprepared for heat, air conditioning companies overwhelmed with calls
Kendall Flynn
THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Air conditioning contractors are feeling the heat as phone calls from locals pour in for AC repairs.
President and CEO of General Air Conditioning and Plumbing, Patrick Somers, said each year, they see residents unprepared for the Valley heat. Typically, as the desert reaches its first extreme heat days of the year, Somers noted there is a first wave of locals in need of repairs.
From slow cooling to complete shutdowns, the General received 30 calls between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Of those calls, 18 booked technician visits. However, with a weekend staff of just one plumber and two technicians, reaching everyone’s home in need can be difficult.
Somers said with the influx in calls, they’re calling employees to see if they’ll volunteer to work on Sunday to fulfill the Valley’s needs.
Experts say maintenance is key to keeping your house cool consistently. Whether before the heat starts or even during the peak heat, routine maintenance is the best solution to keep your air running consistently.
He said if residents are experiencing a wait time and it is unbearable to be in the home, the best thing they can do is leave and go somewhere cool, like a mall or restaurant, until the technician is on their way. Staying hydrated and bringing your pets with you if it is too hot are also key.
However, there are some simple troubleshooting methods you can use at home if you’re waiting for a technician or unsure if you need to make a call.
“The first thing to do is go check the breaker, see if the breaker tripped,” Somers said. “It could be something that rarely duplicates itself and the breaker did exactly what it’s supposed to do. It shut down the system.
So turn your breaker on to see if it works. If it trips again, you should call a licensed contractor.”
Somers said this is a common occurrence, but one that can give technicians a better idea of what to fix.
“If your systems not cooling as well as it should, go check your filter,” He said. “It’s amazing how many times we get out to a home, and all we have to do is change the filter.”
A simple check and fix that could save residents money and a technician visit. If you are experiencing air conditioning problems visit https://callthegeneral.com/.
Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from experts on air conditioning issues and troubleshooting methods.