Air Conditioning Repair

Summer months bring more than hot, sticky weather, they also bring the air conditioner repairmen

The stranger wandering around George Charkalis’ two-story red brick home, tinkering with his air conditioning unit, was a welcome sight.

“It’s cooling well downstairs but not upstairs,” Charkalis, who co-owns Greek Bros. restaurant with his wife Blanche, said on May 22.

Yes, the warmer weather has reared its head in Victoria and, in addition to outdoor picnics and summer break, it brings added work for air conditioner technicians.

Residential repairs begin to pick up between mid-April and early May, said Jonathan Pozzi, office manager at Crossroads Mechanical, Incorporated.

And the common complaint, he said, is that the air conditioner isn’t cooling.

Crossroads Mechanical receives about four to five calls a day during mild months, he said, but that jumps to between seven and 10 once things heat up.

“We’ve had three already today, on top of what we already had scheduled,” he said on May 21. “Nobody wants to be without cold air.”

Aged equipment often breaks with the first heat wave, he said, but there are things people can do to keep their systems up to par.

Change your air filters monthly, Pozzi said, because clogged filters make the air conditioner work harder.

Keeping a clean condensate drain line is also important, he said.

But most importantly: have your system checked out regularly.

“Preventive maintenance is the No. 1 key,” Pozzi said. “Make sure things are working well before it gets hot.”

Many repair companies offer maintenance contracts where workers evaluate heating and cooling systems before extreme weather hits.

But there are some things you can’t change.

When certain parts such as compressors go out, you need to get a new unit or change out the compressor.

An air system’s average life expectancy is between 15 and 20 years, said Ricky Arredondo, a service technician with Crossroads Mechanical.

The recent heat means 12 and 13-hour workdays for Roger Meyer, who owns ACR Heating & Air Conditioning.

“The slowest times for us are January, February and March,” he said. “Right now we’re busy. Very, very busy.”

Victoria’s shortage of qualified workers contributes to Meyer’s extended hours, he said.

The Golden Crescent region’s unemployment rate hit 3.1 percent in April, and Meyer said the state requires employers to perform background checks on potential employees.

“And the help must be certified,” he said. “But we just can’t find qualified people. That’s part of the problem, partly why we’re so busy.”

Homeowners with ailing air conditioners aren’t the only ones braving the Texas heat.

Repair company employees find themselves in extreme heat, too, Pozzi said.

Inside units are often located inside attics, which can reach well above the 100 degree mark.

“It can take an average of an hour or so to fix a unit,” Pozzi said. “But that can seem like an eternity to our guys.”

Techs are encouraged to take water jugs along with them, he said, and to take breaks when possible.

“Depending on the heat, if they have to come down every five or 10 minutes, they do,” he said. “We stress safety.”

Arredondo said his working conditions at the Charkalis home were better than what he’s experienced in other places.

The family’s attic is large, he said, which means better ventilation. Smaller spaces which require repairmen to “army crawl” to get through can sometimes reach 160 degrees.

“I’ve got a cooler full of Gatorade in my truck,” he said. “I’ve got about five stops to make today, but the weather is better than it has been.”

And as for Charkalis, he said he’s glad to get the system fixed.

“We wanted to fix it before it got too hot,” he said. “I was surprised. I called yesterday and they said they could come out today.”