Air conditioning units get their first run for many Arizonans as temperatures near triple-digits
Arizona homeowners fire up a/c units as temps rise
As temperatures in Arizona near triple-digits, homeowners in Arizona are turning on their a/c units for the first time this year. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas has more.
PHOENIX - As we start to see temps in the high 90's, some Phoenicians are cranking the air conditioner for the first time this year.
A lot of homeowners don't know how important it is to get your a/c serviced once a year.
We learned that's the key to a long-lasting a/c unit.
What they're saying:
"It is crazy. Way too early to be this hot honestly," said Jordan Russet.
As the sun beats down, it may feel like summer but we are not quite there yet.
"It's just heating up way too early this year," said Jaclyn Russet.
Heat records fall in Phoenix
Local perspective:
Phoenix broke heat records two days in a row.
In Phoenix, the temperature reached 96 degrees on Monday and shot up three more degrees to 99 on Tuesday.
"My customer service manager, Anthony, can attest to that. The phone's been blowing up the last couple of days. You know, a lot of service and a lot of maintenance calls," said Paul Howard, General Manager of Benefit Air.
Business is pouring in as homeowners turn on their a/c units for the first time all year.
"I turned on my ac last night," said Valley resident Paul Driver.
Others are sticking it out.
"I haven't turned on the a/c yet. I imagine my wife will probably turn it on this weekend if it stays like this. But right now, we're just sort of keeping the doors open. The nights are cooling off, so it's not too bad," said Cord Armstrong.
In fact, Armstrong is embracing the sunshine.
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Big picture view:
In order to enjoy your a/c all summer long, make sure to get it maintained before the summer months, like Armstrong.
"Like once a year, they'll come and do it. Check it out," he said.
Howard says it could save you money in the long run.
"I always recommend get some spring maintenance done. It's just like an oil change for your car. Let us come out there. We'll look at gauges on the system, we'll clean it up. That way we can see how it's operating and really deal with some of these potential smaller issues before they become major problems in the summer," he said.
Why you should care:
Don't expect a repair to be cheap. Unfortunately, the cost of parts are on the rise.
"There have been a lot of price increases that have come across the board since January of last year. And then kind of with the state of the economy right now, back at the beginning of March we got hit industry-wide with a 2% price increase," said Howard. "Now all manufacturers are going up somewhere between six and 10% starting in April. So I can't forecast what it's going to be like through the summer, but they're definitely not getting any less expensive right now."
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What you can do:
To get your a/c served, it costs about $150.
An a/c repair can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $6,000 and up.