EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) -- Many homeowners trying to cool down their homes this week were disappointed to learn their air conditioners weren't working.
ASI Hastings says on Tuesday alone they received over 1,200 calls for repairs and maintenance, five times what they see on a typical day.
A big problem they see is dirty filters.
ASI service technician Philo Mitman compares changing your filter to an oil change, saying it needs to be done every three months or so. By purchasing a filter for $5 or $10 you can prevent bigger and more expensive problems down the road.
"Eight times out of 10 it's the dirty filter that's causing things to break down, such as parts going bad, because it's like sucking through a straw. Once this filter gets so dirty to the point you can't see through it, it creates this static pressure on your blower motor," said Mitman.
He says this can also cost you more in energy bills.
Others in the county carried on without air conditioning, like employees at Kiko's Place in North Park.
"These couple of days have been hot," said Kandy Escamilla. "Yesterday it was raining for a few minutes and the humidity came, yes it was hot for us!"
The food truck doesn't have AC, relying on fans and open windows to cool employees off.
On the bright side, they say the hot temperatures helped business.
"With the heat, with seafood, we get more customers," said Escamilla. "They want ceviches, they want cocktails, it's a little more busy for us."
However, they're still looking forward to the weather cooling down.
