LARGO, Fla. — Record temperatures have made their way across the country, with many states falling victim to the extreme heat.
Thousands of people are doing what they can to stay cool, including cranking up the air conditioner, but the question is, does the heat impact air conditioner units?
Arlen Zell, owner of Pleasant Air Conditioning, said there is a possibility.
With more than two decades of experience in the air industry, he's seen a lot.
Luckily, that doesn't include air conditioning fires, but that's not to say they don't happen.
In 2017, a fire at a Tampa apartment complex was caused by wiring or a mechanical malfunction with an air conditioning unit.
"It's very important that when you're doing a job, the permit is done and all of the wiring is up to par because that can be a major fire hazard," Zell said. "They can catch on fire because they have the capacitors and stuff like that, but normally, it is the heat exchangers that cause a lot of the electrical fires."
Zell said the heat is a slight factor, but it shouldn't be an issue if the unit is well-maintained.
"If your system isn't running efficiently and it is not being taken care of, it can cause the compressor to blow up because it doesn't have the right amount of refrigerant in it," Zell said.
He recommends routine maintenance every six months, which costs around $200.
