Heat envelops our lives in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. How does it define us?
A fundamental element of living in the Valley in 2024 is air conditioning. Most people could not survive here without it. When it goes out in the summer, it can be an emergency.
Jay Kline, general manager at Penguin Air, said his company is getting around 150 daily calls.
“June and July for us are usually absolutely nuts,” Kline said. “We do our best, of course, to staff as many technicians as we can.”
But not only do AC repair companies need to take care of customers — they also have to worry about their workers. Many AC units in the Valley are on roofs , often forcing technicians to be in full sun.
“We also make sure to keep our guys’ safety in mind as well and make sure that we are not out there overworking them, putting them in those hot attics and rooftops for too long,” Kline said.
This week, Arizona Republic reporters and photographers are spreading out across the hottest major metro area in the U.S. to explore how desert dwellers suffer from the heat, adapt and survive. Here’s what we found on Friday, July 26, 2024.