Tulsa AC Techs Working Overtime To Keep You Cool

Emily Baucum, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The brutal heat wave is keeping so many of us inside with the air conditioning, except the crews responsible for keeping those AC units trucking.

Those crews are pulling 12-hour days to keep up with the demand and they don't get a break from the heat.

They're always outside fixing the units -- and when everything's back up and running inside the house -- the crews who saved the day don't get to enjoy it. They're already on to the next call.

One Tulsa serviceman says his company's fielding up to 150 calls a day. He says it's been nonstop since this heat wave descended upon Green Country in late May and early June.

This serviceman gave us some tips on how to prevent your AC unit from breaking down: make sure your filters are clean and get your unit on a regular service schedule.

He says 60 to 70 percent of his job is cleaning dust and grass out of condenser coils. But sometimes -- when it's this hot -- there's not much you can do.

"We're at the maximum capability of what air conditioners are sized for in this part of the country. So even if everything is running perfectly, they're doing all they possibly can do," said Rick Kellenberger of Airco Service.

HVAC companies are working at full capacity, and it's tough to bring in extra help, because people who are qualified to work in the field already are this summer.