FEELING LIKE THE TRIPLE DIGITS. A WALK YOU THROUGH IT ALL. JUST FEW MINUTES. >> THANK YOU, SARAH. THE HEAT IS PICKING UP ALONG THE GULF COAST AND THAT MEANS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE SET TO USE THEIR AIR CONDITIONING UNITS. BUT SOMETIMES MORE PEOPLE USE THEIR UNITS, THERE’S AN INCREASED CHANCE. SOMETHING WRONG HAPPENS WITH THOSE UNITS. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER MILLIGRAM PIERRE IS LIVE IN CAPE CORAL, TALKING WITH AC COMPANIES ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CALLS THEY’RE GETTING. >> YEAH, I’M DEFINITELY FEELING THE HEAT HERE IN CAPE CORAL. WE KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE HOT SPOTS WITH THE HEAT WARNING RIGHT NOW. AND WE JUST FINISHED SPEAKING WITH THE AC REPAIR SPECIALS HERE AT FREEDOM, RESIDENTIAL WHO SAYS HE’S BEEN GETTING AN INFLUX IN THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR PEOPLE NEEDING EMERGENCY AC REPAIRS. BUT THANKFULLY, HE SHARES SOME TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU NEED TO MAKE ANY OF THOSE CALLS. NUMBER ONE IS MAKING SURE YOUR FILTER IS ALL GOOD. IT’S REALLY HUMID AS I’M SURE YOU CAN FEEL INSIDE OF YOUR HOME, TOO. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR FILTER ISN’T TRAPPING ANY WATER OR DIRT OR LETTING THE COOL AIR FLOW. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEONE CHECK UP ON A C TOLD HAVING SOME SORT OF AC MAINTENANCE ROUTINE CAN GO A LONG WAY IN BEING BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE COILS IN THE UNIT. EXPERTS LIKE GOING TELL ME HE SEEN THAT HEAT CAN TAKE A TOLL ON A LOT OF UNITS THAT RECENTLY. >> TYPICALLY IN YEARS PAST OUR SUMMER STARTED IN MARCH END OF MARCH AND IT WAS SUMMERTIME. AND NOW WE’VE SEEN IT GO INTO APRIL AND EVEN INTO MAY, WHICH IS REALLY UNHEARD OF. SO THESE LONGER COOLER NIGHTS THAT WE’RE THAT BEEN EXPERIENCING ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE GOING TO CHANGE. AND NOW THESE MACHINES ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO GO UNDER MUCH HIGHER LOAD INTO THE EVENING AND WHICH WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN THE AC GETS A CHANCE TO CATCH UP, IF IT’S NOT RUNNING RIGHT. >> IT CAN BE DANGEROUS TO GO WITHOUT AN AC IN THIS HEAT. SO MAKE SURE YOU’RE STAYING HYDRATED AND ALSO COUNTING ON GULF COAST NEWS TO KEEP YOU COOL AND UPDATED ON A
AC repair calls see a surge as Cape Coral residents try to beat the heat
Updated: 6:43 PM EDT May 10, 2026
The heat is rising in Cape Coral, and air conditioning repair specialists are seeing a sharp increase in service calls as residents cope with the extreme temperatures. Freedom Residential, a local air conditioning repair company, has reported a noticeable uptick in repair requests over the past week. To prevent issues, experts recommend changing air filters regularly to avoid water and dirt buildup, which can block airflow and reduce cooling efficiency. They also stress the importance of routine maintenance, particularly checking the coils, to ensure systems are prepared for heavy use. Gordon Durant, owner of Freedom Residential, said the extended cooler nights earlier this year have shifted the typical summer timeline, putting additional strain on air conditioning units. “So typically in the years past, our summers started in March, like end of March. And it was summertime. And now we’ve seen it go into April and even into May, which is really unheard of. So these longer, cooler nights that we were experiencing all of a sudden are going to change, and now these machines are going to be asked to go into a much higher load into the evening, which is usually when the AC gets a chance to catch up if it’s not running right,” Durant said. Residents are reminded to stay safe, hydrated, and ensure their air conditioning systems are functioning properly to avoid the dangers of extreme heat.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
The heat is rising in Cape Coral, and air conditioning repair specialists are seeing a sharp increase in service calls as residents cope with the extreme temperatures.
Freedom Residential, a local air conditioning repair company, has reported a noticeable uptick in repair requests over the past week. To prevent issues, experts recommend changing air filters regularly to avoid water and dirt buildup, which can block airflow and reduce cooling efficiency. They also stress the importance of routine maintenance, particularly checking the coils, to ensure systems are prepared for heavy use.
Gordon Durant, owner of Freedom Residential, said the extended cooler nights earlier this year have shifted the typical summer timeline, putting additional strain on air conditioning units.
“So typically in the years past, our summers started in March, like end of March. And it was summertime. And now we’ve seen it go into April and even into May, which is really unheard of. So these longer, cooler nights that we were experiencing all of a sudden are going to change, and now these machines are going to be asked to go into a much higher load into the evening, which is usually when the AC gets a chance to catch up if it’s not running right,” Durant said.
Residents are reminded to stay safe, hydrated, and ensure their air conditioning systems are functioning properly to avoid the dangers of extreme heat.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.