SALT LAKE CITY -- The summer months are hectic for HVAC technician Martin Cisar.
“Once it gets hot, we are nonstop,” Cisar said.
That's because homeowners overwork their air conditioners, or don't give them proper maintenance.
“Change your filter: I don't know how many times I hear, 'I just changed it' when they really changed it a year ago and they need to be doing it once a month,” Cisar said.
Having your cooling system go out on these hot summer days is not only uncomfortable, but it can also be costly--with the average repair ranging from $200 to $500.
“A lot of the times they're just technical repairs or a lack of maintenance, and that's why they're not running the way they should be," Cisar said.
And if they're not running the way they should, fire officials say it can cause a safety hazard.
“Annually it's reported there's about 7,000 fires that are related to air conditioning fans and air related movement equipment,” said Rob Morley, who is a Paramedic with Unified Fire Authority.
Fire officials said just this week alone, bad A/C units caused two fires. One damaged an apartment in Murray and the other destroyed a business in Roy.
“It's easy to underestimate, you know, nothing is going to be wrong with my unit, nothing is going to be wrong with my home and that,” Morley said.
Cisar said Manwill's is already booked two weeks out, and it will likely stay that way throughout the summer.
“The phones never stop ringing when it's this hot; we're working from light till dark,” Cisar said.
