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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – As extreme heat drives most residents indoors, outdoor workers are seeing their busiest season — spending more time than ever outside in triple-digit temperatures.
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Brandon Hughes, service manager for Rite Way Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, said the summer surge in service calls has been significant.
“The heat wave — I mean it slammed us,” Hughes said.
Hughes said the company sees nearly 60 service calls on an average day during summer. He said sustained high temperatures cause air conditioners to work harder, increasing the likelihood of breakdowns.
“The heat day after day with no real relief at night — whenever our nightly temperatures stay up, we’re not giving the house a breather. The house isn’t able to cool down as much,” Hughes said.
Hughes said Rite Way implements extra heat safety procedures during the summer months to protect technicians who spend hours in the sun.
“We provide sun hats for all our technicians and we try to make an effort to have our supervisors go out to some of the jobs and deliver waters and Gatorades to our guys,” Hughes said.
Jazlyn Muzio, owner of Arizona Pristine Roofing, said her company follows similar protocols. Summer is also the busiest season for her crew, with constant calls for monsoon roof repairs.
“Coolers full of ice, water, hydration packs, Gatorades, misters and things like that and shaded tarps for them to come down — and any time someone feels ill or anything like that, of course, they’ll always be sent home,” Muzio said.
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Muzio said the company limits the hours individuals work to keep them out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day and encourages workers to wear clothing and hats that cover their skin.
“It’s hot outside but it’s even hotter on the roof. We’re doing asphalt, shingles, tiles — all that stuff radiates off of the sun,” Muzio said.
Hughes said the precautions are critical because technicians are sometimes required to work during the hottest hours of the day.
“105, 110 degrees outside — it’s crucial to get those customers some cool air,” Hughes said.
Hughes encouraged residents to help reduce how often technicians are called out by maintaining their A/C units. He said keeping the thermostat at a consistent temperature prevents the unit from being overworked, and changing the filter regularly can also reduce service calls.
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