Tips for Coloradans to stay cool in triple-digit weather, HVAC techs work overtime to fix AC units

As dangerous heat grips the Denver metro area on this First Alert Weather Day, residents in Arapahoe County are being urged to take precautions to stay safe and cool.

One of the best ways to beat the heat? Staying indoors with working air conditioning. But for many, that's been a challenge.

HVAC repair crews across the region are working around the clock to respond to an uptick in service calls. At AAA Service Plumbing, Heating, and Electric, technicians say air conditioning units are breaking down at a steady pace as the heat wave ramps up.

Among the most common reasons AC units stop working are dirty or clogged filters, outdoor units covered in dust or debris, low refrigerant levels, and electrical or mechanical component failure

Experts recommend checking and replacing air filters regularly and cleaning the outside unit with a garden hose to keep systems running efficiently.

For those without access to air conditioning, the City of Aurora has opened several cooling centers to the public at the Aurora Central Library, Chambers Plaza Library, Martin Luther King Jr. Library, and Hoffman Library

All cooling centers will remain open until 6:00 p.m. this evening.

The Aurora Day Resource Center is also open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be used as an emergency overnight shelter during extreme weather events.