ATLANTA — The southeast will see its first heat wave of the season through the Fourth of July holiday. A lot of HVAC systems will be put to the test for the first time this summer.
"The moment it gets hot, everybody calls," said Sean McKinney, Owner of Maintenance Unlimited Heating & Cooling said.
11Alive meteorologists are forecasting temperatures to soar into the high 90s through the weekend across metro Atlanta. McKinney and his business partner Darrell Word are preparing for the busy holiday weekend.
"It's blowing hot, it's not working," Word explained as their most common service call.
He said a quick way to figure out if you need to call a technician is to walk outside to your unit.
"If you ever walk up to a unit on a 90-degree day like we’re having now and you put your hand over here (above the fan) and you feel cool air, it’s not cooling, it’s not pulling any heat out of the house," Word said.
Both men said the best way to make sure you're prepared for any extreme temperature changes is to keep your unit maintained throughout the year.
They recommend at a minimum of twice a year-- having someone come out in the spring and fall. However, experts said some customers get their HVAC systems serviced quarterly.
The average cost for your unit to be serviced is around $80, which isn't much when you compare it to replacing your unit. Most A/C units if you have to replace it start around $7,000.
When it comes to the age-old debate on what you should have your thermostat set on-- McKinney and Word said it depends on you.
"I just tell them set it at your comfort level because my comfort level could be 75, Sean’s could be 70," Word explained. McKinney quickly interjected with a chuckle that his desired temperature is 69 degrees.
Whatever you decide both men said it's important to keep in mind.
"Set it at the temperature, leave it at that temperature, and let it do its job. It will save you a lot of headaches in the long run," McKinney said.
If you need to find a place to cool down or grab some water, College Park will be opening a cooling station on Thursday. It will open at 10 a.m. and close a 7 p.m. each day through Sunday.
The cooling station will be located at the Public Safety Building at 3717 College Street in College Park. The city said bottled water and masks will be provided.