(WXYZ) — It's the middle of summer in metro Detroit, and with hot temperatures in the 90s for the rest of the week, heating and cooling companies are making sure people are keeping it cool.
But, those companies are facing challenges when they go to repair air-conditioning units. One of the big ones is a parts shortage.
Just like automotive and tech companies, it's actually due to the dreaded chip shortage, and it's impacting companies around metro Detroit.
Timothy Jury, the director of operations at Randazzo Heating and Cooling, said they've run into problems with the supply chain.
"A lot of our parts that we are having some shipment issues and supply issues with revolve around the electronics and some of the chip stuff," Jury said. "Your controls, your electronically-controlled blower motors that have modules that control the variable speeds and stuff like that."
According to Jury, those parts could be a month or two out. While it might be challenging, there is always a way for technicians to keep you cool without them.
"Our ultimate goal for our customers is to get them cooling or heating or whatever that season is at the moment," he said. "And if we have trouble getting a part, there are ways around certain parts that we can substitute something else for a temporary fix."
But, you add a parts shortage and a generation of skilled workers retiring by the thousands every day, some trade schools are even having a hard time keeping up with the demand.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the job outlook for HVAC workers is expected to grow only 5% between 2020 and 2030.
But, trade schools like MIAT College of Technology in Canton say they are doing the best they can.
"From the information we receive from our program advisory committee members, which are employers and contractors, yes that and employee retention."
In the post-pandemic days, all companies can do right now is adapt.
'We want to have the ability to help. If we can't get a part or we are looking at a part shortage or a labor shortage, we are doing everything we can to ensure we can take care of our customer," Jury said.
There are ways to keep up on your air conditioning unit. According to Randazzo, change your filter every three months, schedule annual maintenance to make sure everything is working properly, and make sure you clean the outside unit of any debris that could impact performance.
