June 9, 2022—High temperatures in Texas have created an influx in driver demand for air conditioning related repairs.
According to Big Country Homepage, My Mechanic of Abilene reports that its labor has doubled within the last month due in part to the AC demand.
“That very first week, when it hit 100 [degrees] a month-and-a-half ago, everyone wanted their AC fixed,” said Brody Clark, Assistant Manager at My Mechanic of Abilene in the article.
Clark said that the shop is booked out weeks in advance, and there has been an 80 percent increase in phone calls for repair requests.
AC repair is especially crucial in states like Texas, where it can get to well over one hundred degrees in vehicle when the weather is especially hot.
An increase on prices across the industry is a contributing factor in this situation as well. Local automotive technician Lupe Cardona said that in order for customers to avoid extra expensive, preventative car care is necessary.
“A lot of people panic when you give them a price of how much it’s going to cost them, but if they want AC, they gotta pay for it,” Cardona said in the article.
AC refrigerant freon has gone up in cost as well. It currently averages at $300. A year ago, the cost was $99 for 30 pounds.
Along with prices, Brody Clark anticipates labor demand on local mechanics to continue on the upward trend.
“We’ve got plenty of work to do out here. These guys are sweating every day, trying to make sure our customers can get cool and back out there on the road driving comfortably,” said Clark.