{"id":807930,"date":"2026-07-17T13:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T13:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/807930\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T13:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T13:43:11","slug":"toronto-heatwave-smoky-air-triggers-surge-in-ac-breakdowns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/807930\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto heatwave, smoky air triggers surge in AC breakdowns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto\u2019s days\u2011long stretch of extreme heat<\/a> and poor air quality has pushed the city\u2019s cooling systems \u2014 and the companies that fix them \u2014 to their breaking point.<\/p>\n

With temperatures soaring into the mid\u201130s on Tuesday and an orange air quality warning<\/a> lingering over the GTA, air\u2011conditioning repair crews are facing one of their busiest weeks in recent memory.<\/p>\n

Brendon Aldridge, owner of Dr. HVAC<\/a>, says the heatwave created a \u201cperfect storm\u201d for breakdowns, with record\u2011setting temperatures hitting at the same time the industry typically sees its seasonal rush. His team has been inundated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re swamped,\u201d Aldridge said. \u201cWe do our best to help as many people as we can, but we just can\u2019t staff for these two weeks of the year. There are times we\u2019re getting like 400 calls a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even days later, crews are still scrambling to catch up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still dealing with the aftermath,\u201d he said. \u201cAll those calls we couldn\u2019t get to that day \u2014 we were running yesterday, we were running today \u2014 we\u2019re still playing catch\u2011up from that one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simple maintenance could make a world of difference<\/p>\n

As temperatures push into the high 30s and low 40s with humidity, older or less efficient AC units begin to fail under the strain. Systems that seem fine on a typical summer day can quickly fall behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes these units get less efficient over time,\u201d Aldridge explained. \u201cThey can keep up on an average day, but when you get to 40 degrees, it really shows that they can\u2019t keep up. They\u2019re running 24 hours a day and not maintaining temperature.\u201d<\/p>\n

For homeowners, the fear of a costly repair \u2014 or worse, a full replacement \u2014 looms large. But Aldridge says simple maintenance can prevent many of the failures his team sees during heatwaves.<\/p>\n

He recommends annual professional servicing, keeping units clear of debris, and regularly changing filters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the key items. Sometimes we\u2019ll get to units, and they\u2019re just covered in grass and bushes, and the air can\u2019t flow through them,\u201d said Aldridge. \u201cAnd then changing the\u00a0filter, that\u2019s one of the critical things.\u201d<\/p>\n

With repair wait times lengthening and outdoor conditions remaining hazardous, Toronto residents seeking relief have few options. The city has opened cooling centres, but outdoor pools remain closed<\/a> as the air quality warning continues.<\/p>\n

Toronto and the surrounding GTA are expected to see some improvement<\/a> as winds shift and temperatures ease, but for now, repair crews remain overwhelmed \u2014 and homeowners are doing whatever they can to stay cool.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tModern HVAC air conditioner unit on concrete slab outside of duplex house. Photo: iStock\/Getty. <\/p>\n

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