Auto repair shops — both mechanical and collision — are taking steps to help technicians stay more comfortable while working in parts of the U.S. that experience extreme heat.
Shop owners say improving working conditions for employees is a worthy investment that reduces turnover and boosts production, even as temperatures soar.
Texas-based Christian Brothers Automotive is accelerating a system-wide effort to install air-conditioning in every service bay by mid-2027 — what the company called “an uncommon benefit” in the aftermarket space in a news release.
Of the repair chain’s 310 locations, more than 100 have been retrofitted to feature air-conditioned service bays, and all new shops south of I-70 — which extends across the U.S. from Maryland to Utah — are now built with AC included. The brand is also supporting franchisees who opt to retrofit existing shops, as part of a broader effort to foster a more comfortable and competitive work environment.
“As we look toward the future of our brand…our facility upgrades reinforce our belief that growth and purpose go hand in hand,” said Donnie Carr, president and CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive. “It’s about so much more than building infrastructure. We’re creating an environment where our team members, franchisees and guests all benefit from a stronger, more united brand experience.”
In Florida, Larry Jaskowiak, owner of Community Collision Center in Leesburg, is adding air conditioning to his shop. He told Autobody News he had air conditioning in many of the shops he’s owned over the years, and he loves what it does for employee retention and workflow.
"What shop owners need to realize is that it is not as costly to do in order to take care of your employees,” Jaskowiak said.
John Melendez, owner of JDM Collision in the Chicagoland area, also added air conditioning to his shop’s bays.
“It’s an investment, but I believe it’s the right thing to do for our team,” Melendez told Autobody News. “At the end of the day, when our employees feel valued and taken care of, the whole shop benefits, and so do our customers. Moves like this also help independent shops stay competitive and show that we can raise the bar in our industry without losing sight of what matters most: our people.”
Henry Arroyo, owner of five Fix Auto shops in California’s Coachella Valley, where temperatures regularly reach triple-digits in the summer, offered more tips to Autobody News to help employees keep cool.
When temperatures soar, Arroyo’s nearly 50 employees are provided fans, misters, ice packs and mobile Portacool evaporative coolers, which can lower the temperature in the roughly 10-by-10-foot area where they’re working.
Shops are also equipped with insulated roofs and coolers filled with plenty of water, Gatorade and electrolyte powder. Employees are provided shaded areas and air-conditioned rooms where they can take breaks -- including the shops’ paint rooms, which have to be climate controlled to prevent the paint from drying out.
Employees can also adjust their hours to work early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding the hottest part of the day.
“We do anything you can think of to make sure they’re cooled down and not working out in the heat,” Arroyo said.
The key is to make sure employees stay hydrated and don’t push themselves too hard to get work done when it’s extremely hot.
“We would rather have them cool down [when they need it]; the job will get done,” Arroyo said. “We want to ensure they don’t have a heat stroke or faint.”
Abby Andrews