Bakersfield AC/HVAC repair companies working to keep up with the heat
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The heat is unrelenting during an intense 10-day stretch of triple digit temperatures during Bakersfield’s excessive heat warning, but the sun is not working harder than your local AC technician.
Some air conditioning technicians in Bakersfield are working overtime to keep customers happy.
HVAC technician Eric Fregoso, with Gallardo Air Conditioning & Heating said, “This year has been very, very busy. A lot of calls, a lot of work,” said Fregoso. “7 days a week, about 10 hours every single day. Everything’s something new.”
Fregoso has seen his fair share of troubleshooting as an HVAC technician the last four years. He said he usually rides solo, but now the guys at Gallardo are operating two-man teams during the heat wave.
“It could be a dangerous situation. We don’t wanna pass out in those attics,” said Fregoso. “We don’t want to, you know, faint on top of someone’s roof.”
Richie Wagoner, co-owner of Air Control Services said, “Everything’s melted, broken…on fire. It’s been lack of air flow, too much air, or too hot of air.”
Wagoner said his team of 10 technicians are working six, 14-hour days to keep up with the service calls.
“We have to be strategic on how we meet client demands with the restrictions California presents to us,” said Wagoner.
A lot of the older buildings in Bakersfield aren’t up to date, making it a challenge for HVAC technicians to retrofit new parts, according to Wagoner. Keeping your AC bill and your blood pressure low is easier than you think.
“Keep the coils as clean as possible, change your filters and try not to overrun the units as best you can,” said Wagoner.
Most AC units aren’t designed to operate past 101 degrees long term, according to data from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Fregoso said Gallardo Air Conditioning and Heating is responding to service calls based on priority and their top priority is safety. They’re responding to the elderly and vet clinics first.
“People are spending their hard-earned money on this electricity and in some cases, they can get it down and get a nice, simple service to make sure that machine is working to proper efficiency,” said Fregoso.
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