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29 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Air-conditioning units are struggling to keep pace with the recent stretch of hot weather, making it a busy week for local heating and cooling companies.
Greg DeBacker, the owner of DeBacker’s Inc. HVAC company in Topeka, compared DeBacker’s call volume to going out to eat on Wanamaker Road on a Friday night. He said his team is so swamped due to the heat, customers will have to ‘wait for a table.’
“We’re not the only heating and air-conditioning company, they’re all booked,” DeBacker said. “There are not enough technicians in Topeka to take care of everyone.”
DeBacker told KSNT 27 News his five full-time technicians get to roughly 200 calls each week, but this week, that number has been much higher. Because of how many customers need assistance, DeBacker’s has had to push several appointments as far out as Monday.
He said thermostats in Topeka are set to combat up to 96-degree weather, but when temperatures outside exceed that, air-conditioning units have a hard time keeping up.
“Heat is hard on animals, people and air-conditioners,” DeBacker said. “I mean when they’re running 24-hours a day, which they are designed to run, they’re what they call ‘continuous duty,’ but it’s hard on them.”
According to DeBacker, one of the best things homeowners can do to keep their AC units functioning properly is to wash their outdoor units. With weather like this, he recommends washing the unit about every three days rather than the usual once a month cycle.
Technicians typically take care of this when responding to calls, while also fixing parts and changing filters that get overworked in extreme heat. While they’re on the job, DeBacker’s makes sure it’s employees have plenty of water and are staying hydrated, so they can safely serve their customers.