With the temperate outside over 100 degrees, day after day, air conditioner repair technicians are getting a workout.
"Very busy," said A#1 Air technician Rocky Smith. "Summertime, it's 'go time.'"
Smith said he'll work a minimum of 12 hour days during this heat wave. A#1 Air said it's getting more than 100 additional calls for service each day.
"Once it hits 90, we see a big surge of units not keeping up," said Smith. NBC 5 followed Smith on an afternoon call to the Bethune home in Euless.
"We were out of town for a couple of days, so we don't know when it started," explained Denice Bethune. "When we came back, we knew something was going on."
The Bethune's thermostat was set to 72. The temperature inside was 89 degrees.
"Lots of water. You see that dripping," asked Smith as he checked for the problem. "You can see the line is completely plugged with water."
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Smith sat cross-legged in a small hallway working to fix the issue. He called it a 'gravy call'. "Otherwise I'd be doing this in an attic, and that's typically 140 degrees," Smith said.
Smith said the best thing homeowners can do right now to try to prevent problems is to hose off outside air conditioner units, to clear them of dust and dirt, and allow them to breathe.
"Just like humans, more heat, more stress, more apt to fail," Smith explained.
"This heat wears me out," said Bethune. "Sucks the life outta me."
The Bethune's said they're moving to Iowa before next summer, and won't miss the Texas heat.
