Stay safe in the heat while you wait for AC repair
In a Tucson June, a house without AC heats up fast and stays hot overnight. Protect the people in it first, then work on the repair.
What to watch for: A one-minute public health video from the CDC. It names the symptoms to watch for and who is most at risk.
Why does this matter in Tucson?
June is Tucson's hottest month by normal high (101.2°F at the airport), and July nights are the warmest, with a normal low of 76.3°F. In 2024 the airport logged a record 112 days at or above 100°F. A house that loses its AC in that stretch doesn't cool off much overnight.
The CDC advises older adults to stay in air-conditioned buildings in hot weather and not to rely on a fan as their main cooling when it is very hot. The same caution fits babies, young children and anyone with a chronic illness.
What you'll learn
- Who is most at risk, and where they should go
- Why the CDC says a fan shouldn't be the main cooling when it's very hot
- Quick checks that sometimes bring the AC back
- What Arizona and Tucson rules say for renters
How do you do it, step by step?
- Move anyone vulnerable to an air-conditioned place now: a relative, a friend, or a public air-conditioned building.
- Close blinds and curtains on the sunny side and keep doors shut to hold what cool air you have.
- Drink water steadily, and skip heavy work in the hottest part of the day.
- Check the quick fixes once: thermostat set to Cool with fresh batteries, the AC breaker, a clean filter, and the drain pan switch.
- Check on neighbors who live alone, and on pets.
- Watch the National Weather Service Tucson forecast for heat warnings while you wait.
- Call 911 for anyone who is confused, faints, or seems seriously ill from the heat.
When should you stop and call a pro?
- The AC trips its breaker again after one reset.
- You smell burning or see smoke from any part of the system.
- Someone in the house is getting sick from the heat. Leave first, fix later.
Renting? Arizona law requires landlords to supply reasonable air-conditioning or cooling where it is installed and keep it in good and safe working order. In Tucson, the Arizona Attorney General notes that air-conditioned rentals may not exceed 82°F in habitable rooms, and evaporative-cooled units 86°F. Tell your landlord in writing.
Read next
Sources and official pages
Rather have a pro handle it?
Climate Pros Tucson matches homeowners with licensed local HVAC pros across the Tucson area. You talk to us, then to the pro, and the pro quotes the job before any work starts.
What else can you check yourself?
Change your AC filter, and again after a dust storm
A clogged return filter is the first thing to check when the house won't cool. In Tucson, the monsoon's dust storms load a filter fast.
Hose off the outdoor coil after monsoon dust
The outdoor unit has to dump your home’s heat into air that is often over 100°F. Dust packed in its fins makes that job harder.
Clear a clogged AC condensate drain
Monsoon humidity makes your AC pull more water out of the air. If the drain line is slow, that water ends up in the pan, the ceiling or the closet floor.