LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Just as many people were getting ready to power down their air conditioners for the winter, this week’s heatwave has caused a spike in demand for repairs.
HVAC service providers said they were inundated with requests to repair malfunctioning air conditioners on Tuesday when temperatures were forecast to exceed 93 degrees.
“We’re taking a large amount of incoming calls. We had 115 as of 10:15 this morning,” said Matt Buckwalter, owner and CEO of One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning in East Hempfield Twp.
Experts said they weren't surprised that air conditioners were breaking down amid a heat wave, especially this late in the summer season.
“Heat will cause air conditioners to stop functioning. It puts a strain on them, especially ones that aren’t maintained or haven’t been cleaned this season,” said Larry Gassert, managing partner of Lancaster Plumbing Heating Cooling & Electrical, also in East Hempfield Twp.
HVAC technicians recommended fixing a broken AC now, rather than waiting it out until next year. In addition to staying more comfortable during the heat wave, it could also save you money in the long run.
“Another heat wave could come later in September. Also if it’s not working properly now, it’s going to cost more money to operate and run,” Gassert said.
The heat wave broke a record-high Labor Day temperature of 97 degrees in Harrisburg on Monday. However, heat waves have been known to happen in September in past years.
“I think the ebb and flow of the seasons will happen in years to come and it’s been consistent with what we’ve seen over the last 20 years or so,” Buckwalter said.
The same technicians who repair ACs also work on winter heating systems, so homeowners could potentially service both systems at the same time this week, keeping cool this week and preparing for chillier days ahead.
“We haven’t had that yet,” Gassert said. “That might come later this week though.”