A Shortage of A/C Parts Could Heat Up Your Summer
Amidst deadly heat waves and a 4th of July which celebrated the hottest day ever recorded, citizens nationwide are experiencing extensive delays in getting their air conditioners repaired.
The most precious of summer resources has had a tough few years. In both 2021 and 2022, shortages of copper, steel, plastic and aluminum—the materials used to construct HVAC equipment—led to a shortage of services just as customer demand crested.
Right now, residents in Florida are under a particular strain. Rick Vierling, who owns his own A/C repair company in St. Petersburg, told Tampa Bay’s News 10 that he’s never seen such demand in the 12 years he’s been in the industry. “All across the industry, you’re seeing parts are delayed, where it’s taking two to three weeks,” Vierling marveled.
“Parts are becoming hard to find, especially bigger parts,” Vierling elaborated in a separate interview with Florida’s News Channel 8. “Smaller parts are easier to get a hold of, but bigger parts, you just have to order them, and you just have to wait.”
It’s a story which has become increasingly common across America this summer.
In May, many living in Tulsa, OK suffered from a similar delay in product availability. In Harker Heights, TX, a community library has been without A/C since last year and will remain without one until at least August.
According to Jeffery Molina, president of American Air Conditioning & Heating Company, it all comes back to one issue. “It's supply chain issues. Having trouble with raw materials like copper, chips for circuit boards, motors, stuff like that,” Molina told KENS 5 in Texas.
Repairs can become even more complicated if they’re being completed through a warranty. Warranty companies are notoriously picky about where they source their repair parts from.
“It takes five to seven days for [new parts] to get shipped to us, if it is readily available. If it's not available, we are seeing 30 to 60 days on backorder,” Molina continued. “Some get really extreme: six to eight months depending on what the item is or who the manufacturer is.”
With no end to the heat in sight, even trained technicians have begun to wilt. “I had a guy that was new, today was his first day and he came to me at lunch and he told me he couldn’t take the heat,” Rick Vierling told News 10.
Experts recommend the best way to beat the heat and avoid an A/C short-out is to swap out the air filter once a month and schedule maintenance checks twice a year. It’s also imperative to maintain windows, attic installation, and duct work.