Some Valley HVAC companies are feeling the heat when it comes to serving customers whose air-conditioning units are in need of repairs.
At Canyon State Air Conditioning and Plumbing, technicians are seeing an array of problems spring up from customers needing help as temperatures heat up.
“(We are getting calls for) all of the above, said Mike Gibson, general manager of Canyon State. “The primary calls are for units failing altogether.”
It’s important homeowners keep up on routine maintenance so small problems don’t turn into big ones, Gibson said.
“It definitely minimizes the chance of (a unit) failing,” Gibson said. “It catches problems before they get big.”
Officials at Phoenix-based Ideal Air have noticed a spike in business this week since temperatures have broken record highs.
On Aug. 6., Sky Harbor International Airport reached 115 degrees — which broke a record set in 2023, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix. The Phoenix area has seen extreme heat advisories consistently over the past few weeks.
“(Business) is up,” Chrimat said. “...This summer, in general, we’ve had lower temperatures. We’ve seen a bit of a spike. But nothing insane.”
Insulation, duct work and the air conditioning unit itself all play a role in how the HVAC system performs, the co-owner said.
Some customers come to Ideal Air because homeowners want a lower electricity bill. Some residents said they’ve had monthly bills as high as $700 per month, according to Chrimat.
“There’s obviously some kind of cause for that,” she said.
Others have had problems with a room being hotter than others in their home.
Problems range from duct work not being designed correctly to insulation not being installed right, she said.
“If the insulation isn’t good, it’s going to get hotter a lot faster.”
Good strategies for a lower bill include using a smart thermostat where you can bump up the temps when you aren’t home to pre-cooling the home during off-peak times and turning up the thermometer during the peak times.
Ideal Air experts look at at the entire home to detect where energy is getting lost, Chrimat said.
Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.
He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.
Community: He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.
Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball.
Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.
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