Los Angeles power outages, faulty AC systems cause challenges during extreme heat

As a sweltering heat wave grips Southern California, many Los Angeles residents are finding that staying cool isn't just about comfort, but also about safety. For many, finding that relief has been difficult due to power outages and faulty air conditioning systems. 

In La Cañada Flintridge on Wednesday, Southern California Edison customers were placed under a planned outage, just one of many communities dealing with the same issue due to the high heat. 

"We've got ice and cold water around, and the girls are doing okay," said Tran Ly, who lives in the impacted neighborhood. "I was worried yesterday it would be uncomfortable, but surprisingly, it's not been bad today."

She and her children were without power through the hottest part of Wednesday afternoon, where each hour of suffocating heat made their home more uncomfortable. 

In nearby Sherman Oaks, Jason Fudenberg had to rush to purchase a portable air conditioning unit after his home's system stopped working on Tuesday. 

"I noticed that the air conditioning had turned off. I'm like, 'Why is it off? It's already 88 degrees here in the house, I'm sweating to death,'" he said. "It's hot. I'm not going to be able to sleep."

Air conditioner repairmen say that this time of year sees the most repair calls, as many are working their systems overtime to keep cool. 

"What happens is, on the hottest days of the year, these wear-and-tear parts, they go out, especially during a heat wave," said Lael Aldana, who owns MightyServ Heating & Air Conditioning. "So, if you want to avoid the heat wave, it's a matter of life and death sometimes, make sure that you're [maintaining] your unit."

Gabriel Cortio, an HVAC technician working in Burbank during the heat, said that they've seen an influx in requests for maintenance on things like dirty coils and filters and weak capacitors. 

SCE said that the company is still considering a series of power shutoffs throughout the hot weather due to heightened wildfire risks in Southern California.