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ST.ROSE — As the Louisiana heat continues to reach temperatures of 90 degrees and higher, air conditioner units are working overtime to keep residents cool. As these units work overtime, so are the service technicians being called to repair them.

Authentic Air LLC, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor based in St. Rose, provides service to both commercial and residential HVAC needs in the River Parishes and Greater New Orleans area.

“The heat wave has significantly increased the amount of calls,” said Anthony Ragusa, president and owner of Authentic Air.

According to Ragusa, units are designed for a 95-degree outside temperature.

“The units are running a lot more to fight the outside temperature. This causes more wear on parts and no time for condensers to cool down while not running,” Ragusa said.

As Louisiana continues to be put under heat advisories, maintaining air conditioning units is vital to keep them running.

“Keep 18 inches of free space around condensers and keep the condenser coils clean,” Ragusa said. “This allows proper air flow to cool motors and condenser coils as much as possible.”

There are many methods to keep homes cool without constantly running the air conditioner.

Ragusa recommends keeping blinds closed and windows covered with black-out curtains to keep cool air inside.

“Make sure your attic is ventilated properly and that your attic fan is working if applicable, and ventilation holes are unobstructed,” Ragusa said. “Only use ceiling fans when you are in the room. Make sure that your insulation in the attic is good.”

Other tips include using weather stripping on doors and windows to seal cracks to prevent heat from getting inside.

Authentic Air LLC is located at 222 Almedia Rd. St. Rose, LA 70087. To make an appointment, call 504-421-2647 or visit https://authenticairllc.com/ for more information.