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For the last two weeks, nearly every day has resulted in a high temperature in the 90s in Troup County, leading to heat warnings from the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

With the temps outside heating up, air conditioning units are having to work extra hard to keep your home or office cool.

But what happens when the AC taps out under the pressures of the heat? Local HVAC companies in LaGrange are spending the summer repairing units that go out at the wrong time. However, this year, due to supply chain issues and price increases, that job is harder than ever.

“One thing that we’re seeing this year because of supply chain issues are price increases nearly every month, even on our larger projects we are seeing price increases,” said Dale Jackson, co-owner of Jackson Services. “What’s really concerning to me is running out of material and getting price increases after projects have already been ongoing. And I don’t blame the manufacturers at all because everyone is going through supply chain issues and the labor issues.”

Product availability has impacted many businesses around LaGrange. Unfortunately, HVAC companies have been seeing the same issues with finding parts. Jackson advises customers to be proactive and get their units checked regularly.

“Right now, work is so bad that we’re seeing customers who have to go weeks waiting on a part. If you wait until it completely quits working, you’re looking at a wait for parts. Whereas if you call and get a checkup, most problems can be found just by doing a routine check-up on your system, therefore we can catch problems now, while it’s still working.”

The summer months are typically when the AC is working the most. With temperatures reaching over 98 degrees in some areas, it’s essential to maintain HVAC units in the office and at home.

Ace Air is working to prioritize fixing AC issues with customers who have small children, elderly individuals and immunocompromised individuals. Like Jackson Services, Ace Air faces the same issues with product availability and is taking measures to prioritize consumer needs.

“We take a lot of things into consideration to make sure we serve those most in need first. We really work hard to keep our customers comfortable,” said Robyn Griffin, director of marketing and public relations of ACE Air. “During the summer, it’s all hands on deck. When temperatures reach over 85, that’s when we get really, really busy with installations and unit fixes. Some of our staff are working 12 hours a day to make sure we can keep our customers comfortable through the heat.”