AC not working? Poor maintenance and excessive heat may be to blame

With temperatures forecast to reach triple digits in northern San Luis Obispo County this week, Paso Robles Heating and Air says they receive 15 to 20 service calls per day.

Service Manager Steve Mayfield says there’s a reason high heat and air conditioner issues go hand in hand.

“The hotter it gets, the more the AC unit works, and without proper maintenance on an air conditioning system, it can really take the weak ones out very quickly with high heat and high usage,” Mayfield said.

He says there are ways to get ahead of AC problems before they malfunction.

“The most important thing that a homeowner can do is keep a clean filter. Get that filter changed every three months at the minimum,” Mayfield said.

Local Steve Gregory said he maintains his AC regularly.

“Our summers are so hot and our winters are so cold that both sides of the unit need to be maintained,” Gregory said.

Failure to maintain your AC unit can result in higher utility costs.

“If you have a dirty outdoor coil, you have electrical components that are going to fail. It’s going to cause the unit to run on more amps, use more power,” Mayfield said.