Air Repair? No Sweat

Just call him Dr. Cool.

On these dog days of summer, when the heat soars and the air conditioner goes maddeningly on the blink, it is Zach Bajakjian to the rescue.

Bajakjian, an air conditioning technician for Kahn Air Conditioning Inc. of Northridge, is the source of comfort for those poor souls whose air conditioners have conked out during the unrelenting heat wave. (It was 100 in Chatsworth on Tuesday, 98 in Woodland Hills and in the 90s virtually everywhere else in the San Fernando Valley.)

The backlog of service calls and burnouts has been so bad lately, Bajakjian said he is making an average of five house calls a day. s

For the past eight years, tending to air conditioners in the San Fernando Valley has been his livelihood. For him, what seems like cleaning a few dirty vents is a science.

“It’s like checking a heartbeat,” said Bajakjian. “Before I find out what’s wrong, there are a number of tests that need to be done.”

Bajakjian, who emigrated to California from South Africa, said the most common problem is lack of preventive maintenance. He advises customers to keep filters and coils clean and brush their units regularly.

“Once while cleaning an outdoor unit, I found a baby rabbit,” he said, laughing.

As for keeping his own cool on the job, Bajakjian said he always carries a spritzer bottle to spray water on his face and another bottle of drinking water.