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Too hot to handle
100 degree temperatures are straining local air-conditioning units.Date published: 8/3/2006 VIDEO: Hot enough to fry an egg?
The near-record hot weather has left most people miserable this week. That explains why at All Air Heating & Cooling Services, water leaks, damaged run capacitors and other air-conditioning unit malfunctions have driven business up 200 percent to 300 percent, by its owner's estimate. "Any time your ambient temperatures are in the mid-90s, your equipment is running at 100 percent capacity just to keep up," increasing the likelihood of mechanical failure, said owner Jerry Butterfield. This week's scorching heat--Fredericksburg hit 100 degrees yesterday--has not only strained the region's electrical grid, but also stretched many air-conditioners past their capacity. Though some air-conditioning repair shops say it's business as usual this week, others, like Butterfield, have seen a spike in calls. Long waits for repairs appear uncommon; the Fredericksburg area has myriad small air-conditioning businesses to meet local demand. Yet owners say that many of the problems they fix are preventable and that regular, offseason maintenance could save consumers a significant amount of money over time. Because air-conditioning units in this area typically are constructed to withstand outdoor weather no higher than the mid-90s, triple-digit temperatures can push them to the brink. The solution: having units professionally checked out one or two times a year, in the spring or fall, and changing filters every one to three months. Some companies even offer maintenance contracts. "Probably 30 percent of people do what's considered preventative maintenance," said Jim Crozier, manager of Bakers Appliance Heating and Air Conditioning in Fredericksburg. Crozier's shop received between 35 and 40 calls daily this week. "If you service it on a regular basis, it'll hold up a lot better. A good operating air-conditioning unit can save you as much as 20 [percent] to 30 percent on your electric bill," said Larry Wolfrey, owner of 72 Degrees Air Conditioning and Heating. It can amount to a matter of convenience, too--Wolfrey noted that people with indoor units in the attic, where ground-level 100 degree temperatures can soar to 140 degrees, are unable to get same-day service during peak summer times because of the deadly heat. But for some businesses, the heat wave at the beginning of summer provided the real rush for air-conditioning repair.
Date published: 8/3/2006
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