The National Weather Service says North Texas could reach 100 degrees for the first time in 2025 this Friday. The Metroplex hits 100 degrees 20 times in an average year, with the first date in triple digits coming July 1.
"For an HVAC company, this is a really busy time of year," says Matt Rudesill, general manager at On Time Experts. "Your air conditioning unit is running constantly. It's not just running during the heat of day, but you might find your system is running all night long, especially when these nights creep up toward 80 degrees."
Rain and cloud cover have held temperatures below 100 so far, but as calls for service pick up, Rudesill says On Time Experts may need to start postponing trips for scheduled maintenance to focus on emergency calls for service.
"The phone is starting to ring, especially in late afternoon and early evening, people are getting off work," he says. "That's our busiest time of day."
He encourages people to stay focused on maintenance so they do not have to call for an emergency repair. He says people without a detailed understanding of how systems work can still change filters, hose down their outdoor units and make sure units are clear of tall grass or weeds.
"Those things have to breathe," he says. "That is the whole heat-exchange portion of the system, so it's critical."
Inside, he says people can take steps to keep homes cool without relying as much on air conditioning. Keeping blinds closed can keep sunlight from heating up a room, and using ceiling fans to move air can make rooms feel cooler, so people can turn up their thermostat a few degrees and still feel comfortable.
If the house will be empty for several hours during the day, he urges people to turn the thermostat up several degrees, but do not turn your air conditioning off entirely. If the system is shut off, and the house warms up ten to 15 degrees, he says the system will have to work too hard to cool down.
"If you can find a comfortable maintenance temperature where it's maybe not as cold as you want, but it's liveable, especially if you feel like your system is struggling a little bit, that's not a bad thing," he says.
He says technicians will be busy responding to emergency calls during summer heat, but the company still keeps a stand-by list for maintenance checkups. More information is available at https://www.theontimeexperts.com/.