Air conditioner fires more likely with excessive heat
With excessive heat in the forecast for the next few days, many people in the desert will be running their air conditioners all day and all night. If an air conditioning unit isn’t properly maintained, it could malfunction and start a fire.
According to the Riverside Country Fire Department, during these summer months, the amount of fires in the area started by heat and air conditioning units doubles. HVAC experts said these types of fires are avoidable.
“The biggest thing is a breaker tripping,” said Patrick Somers, the general manager for General Heating and Air. “Do you have lights dim when it kicks on? Is it drawing a lot of power, and do you all of a sudden notice the unit is getting warm, because a motor has over heated? Those are indications that their might be an issue that needs to be addressed.”
In Cathedral City, repair workers were fixing damage on a home from a fire started at the air conditioner on Thursday.
“You can see that there is some stuff over on the side of the air conditioning unit that may have got involved in it,” said Bryan Galvin, project manager for Nix Restoration.
The Cathedral City Fire Department believed the fire started when debris around the air conditioning unit caught fire.
“The flames just kind of licked their way up and get into the attic space, and once it’s there, then there is no stopping it,” said Kurt Nix, owner of Nix Restoration.
It’s not just exterior units for which home owners need to look out.
“Especially if the unit is in a garage, no cleaners and no junk should be around it,” said Somers.
The most important thing to remember is maintenance. Homeowners should take a look and a listen at their air conditioning unit and make sure it’s working well. If there are any doubts, they should call in an expert. If smoke is seen coming from the units or through the vents, call the fire department immediately.
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