Calls for air conditioning units increase as temperatures rise

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Summer heat means more service calls to air conditioning companies as many units can’t keep up with the heat. But if you’re a homeowner and your air goes out, what do you do?

Southern homeowners might not know that because of the climate we live in, your air conditioning unit might only last about 10-15 years. Routine maintenance can help stretch out units for what they’re worth.

“Mainly you keep all the debris and everything from around your units. If anything does come around it, you make sure you turn it off, wash around it and keep the debris away from it,” Leo Crimbley, Safe Aire client and Albany resident, said.

One local HVAC company, Safe Aire, has a built-in plan for customers to get routine maintenance and regular updates to prevent any outages.

“If you are having a lot of issues, having to put a lot of money into an older 10+ system and costing you hundreds of dollars thousands of dollars, it might be time to look into replacing that system,” Jason Bratcher, Comfort Advisor for Safe Aire, said.

Crimbley says what helps him conserve energy during the summer months is keeping the thermostat at a set level.

“One thing that I do is set it at a level that is comfortable for me and my family. That way you don’t have to keep adjusting the thermostat, or anything like that causing it to go up or down. Which will also increase energy bill high, but because I keep it at a set rate, my energy is regulatory the same each month,” Crimbley said.

Thermostats usually have two settings: fan and auto. Oftentimes, homeowners are running their systems all the time, which puts wear and tear on the unit.

“Auto setting is really set at whatever temperature you want it to be at. So, it will automatically come on and cool your house until it gets to the temperature you want it to be at. So, auto setting is really the most recommended setting as far as making your system run when it needs to be,” Bratcher said.

Knowing the different options when it comes to air conditioning units is key when you have to get a new system installed.

Experts suggest that you should get your unit checked out twice a year. You should also change your air filters so that your air can regulate properly.

But if regular maintenance doesn’t prevent an outage, Safe Aire will provide temporary relief or try to move you up for urgent requests.

“With Safe Aire the good thing about us is we come out, and we decide to replace the system, we try our best to give you temporary relief. Whether that is a window unit in the house, in a couple rooms to keep you cool, until we can get there to install it,” Bratcher said.

If you have a two-story home, you should consider installing more than one system, just in case one unit does go out.

“The good thing about it is my unit downstairs went completely out, but my unit upstairs was working, so we were able to just move upstairs and live up there until we were able to get it fixed and completed,” Bratcher said.

If the entire unit does have to be replaced, you do have options.

“Now there are new options as far as higher efficiency systems, high sirius systems, variable speed systems. Stuff that is more energy efficient but also more comfortable for your house making it more comfortable, more clean,” Bratcher said.

Once you get that new system in place, routine maintenance of things like Freon will eliminate any further issues.

“If freon is low in the system it will cause it to freeze up. It’s not going to perform like it’s supposed to. If it gets really low it will completely freeze up the system, so you know you will have a leak at some point,” Bratcher said.

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