Last week, I waited for a red light at 71st and Memorial, grateful for the smooth idle and quiet hum of my truck and its air conditioner. The coolness pouring out of the vents eased away some of the day’s heat, creating a sharp contrast to the waves radiating off the pavement. I glanced at the thermometer on my rearview mirror: 119 degrees! More than 25 degrees above Tulsa’s average summer temperature!
As the light turned green and I pressed the gas pedal, my well-maintained vehicle continued down 71st Street with no jolts, sputters or stops and got me home in time for a relaxing evening in my geothermal cooled home.
I don’t know about you, but I am not a pleasant man if I have to sizzle on the side of the road inhaling gasoline and diesel fumes while waiting for a tow truck. That’s why I regularly have the oil and filters changed in my truck, the coolant and brake fluid checked, and the brake pads and spark plugs inspected.
And, I’m sure you’re probably not in the best of moods if you come home to an overheated house with Goldie boiling in her fish tank and Fifi panting on the kitchen floor because the air conditioner fizzled out.
Preventative maintenance on your air conditioner is as important as the regular maintenance on your car. It is the key to saving the pets and yourself an evening of steamy misery. Poorly maintained air conditioning systems account for 60-80% of repair service. A dirty filter, a clogged coil, or a grimy blower motor can cause your air conditioner to shut down.
Waiting three, four, or more years between air conditioning maintenance service almost guarantees a break down in extreme temperatures. It is the equivalent of me driving my truck 50,000 miles without changing the oil. Think about that: would you drive from New York to California and back sixteen times without popping the hood. Sure, you might make it, but I bet you’re not willing to take the risk as you climb the Rockies or cross Death Valley?
So, next time you’re hanging out in your mechanic’s garage sipping bad coffee, reading outdated magazines, and waiting for your car’s oil change, take a moment to call us and schedule the regular maintenance on your home’s air conditioning system. An Energy Savings Maintenance Agreement will get your air conditioning system ready to cross Death Valley, or at least, make it through the summer’s heat wave.
Your goldfish and Fifi will thank you.
Leave us a reply telling about your 2012 extreme heat stories. Maybe we will feature your story in a future blog.
Until then… Stay cool.
–Bob
Custom Services, Inc. 
This is such a good point! The idea of “maintenance” gets overlooked a lot in our busy world, but taking the time to make sure everything is running smooth BEFORE a disaster is always sound advice.