HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. (WRCB) -- Air Conditioning companies are working overtime, much like the units themselves.
It's their busiest time of year, but you can keep repair costs at a minimum. The number one tip to keep your air conditioner running is, change the filter.
Repair crews often find the problem they've been called to fix is minor, something you could have done yourself.
"We've been really busy," says Maximum Heating and Air Technician, Wade Shaero. "We're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
By noon Tuesday Shaero is on his fourth call of the day. He still has six more to go.
"I can get a call at 11 o'clock at night," he says. "Somebody comes home, and their house is 90 degrees."
Just when the technician thinks his work day is over it's not, but in the summer Shaero knows that's just part of the job.
"This is my busiest time," he says. "So it's time for me to hit the door running, and make as many people as happy as I can."
Happy is usually the response Shaero gets when he shows up, whether it's for a busted unit or a typical maintenance call.
"It's like car maintenance," says homeowner, Michael Williamson. "If you don't keep it up you're asking for trouble."
A lesson Williamson, learned the hard way after his AC died twice. Tuesday, Williamson called Shaero out for a quick chemical cleaning, something that can save big bucks in the long run.
"The most common calls are dirty air filters," Shaero says.
The technician says more often than not the service calls he answers could be avoided.
"It's just lack of maintenance," he says. "Or the unit needs to be cleaned."
While Shaero is happy to help, there are plenty of things you can do to avoid the extra cost of calling a technician to your home.
"If you're out mowing the lawn, and you've got a bunch of shrubbery around your outdoor unit cut it back," Shaero says.
Changing your air filter regularly, and periodically hosing down the outside unit yourself will keep your air conditioning humming along, the way the Williamson's like it.
"Just to make sure that it's finely tuned and ready to go," Williamson says.
Here's some further advice before you call your repair man, re-setting your air conditioner can often turn it back on and help you avoid a $30 service call.
If you keep the thermostat between 74-76 degrees, the AC won't have to work so hard. |
