Dip in Temperatures No Real Relief : Heat: As some Valley readings hit the 100s, residents of a Canoga Park complex put up with broken air conditioners and a closed swimming pool.

The fourth straight day of blistering heat baked the San Fernando Valley area Monday, sending people everywhere fleeing to the nearest air conditioner.

Well, almost everywhere.

At a Canoga Park apartment complex, about half of the units had working units, and half did not. The apartments with that familiar hum were crowded with people, while the quiet ones were deserted.

“I liked it better in school, because at least it was cool there,” said Dago Martinez, 13, suffering summer break in one of the units that did not have working air-conditioning.

Making things worse for the Lanark Street apartment dwellers, the complex’s swimming pool has been closed for some time because the water was dirty. And, because of a plumbing problem, turning on cold water faucets brings only hot water.

Although temperatures had dipped a bit from the weekend, it was still hot enough to clear the sidewalks of most everyone except small children and stray dogs.

Forecasters said the heat wave will continue for at least the rest of the week, with heat alerts issued for the San Fernando Valley through Wednesday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bruce Entwistle.

Heat alerts are issued when the “heat index”--or the temperature the body senses--reaches 105 to 111 degrees. The index combines temperature, humidity levels, intensity of sun and other factors.

In Woodland Hills, the temperature alone hit 106 degrees, in Van Nuys it rose to 99, in Burbank 95, and in the Antelope Valley city of Lancaster, the high was a searing 107, according to WeatherData, which provides forecasts to The Times. Records for the date were unavailable.

Back at the Canoga Park complex, Debbie Martel, 32, stood outside her unit wondering which was worse--getting fried under a relentless midday sun, or boiling inside an apartment with a broken air conditioner.

“I take four showers a day, I go swimming--anything to try and stay cool,” she said. “I just want the thing fixed.”

The apartment manager said everything--the pool, the cold water supply, the air conditioners--will be fixed as soon as the repair people show up. She said she had called them repeatedly, beginning Friday.

Some residents, however, didn’t seem to mind. Of course, they were the ones with the working air conditioners.

A few units down from Martel, Art Garcia, 26, and nearly a dozen of his friends had plunked down in Garcia’s cool--almost cold--apartment to watch a World Cup soccer match.

“Hot, naw, it’s not too bad,” Garcia said, looking up at his laboring air conditioner. “Actually, it’s kind of cool. Maybe too cold.”

Being over-chilled was a problem few Valley residents shared, and medical experts warned people to take care not to get overheated.

Dr. Paul Karis, medical director of the emergency department at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, said that long periods of time or strenuous physical activity out in the sun can cause heat exhaustion, cramps or heat stroke.

Karis’ advice is simple: “Get out of the hot sun and get inside and drink lots of fluids like Gatorade or anything balanced that has salts and potassium,” he said.

Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages should be avoided because they cause the body to lose fluids more quickly and can cause dehydration, Karis said.

Times staff writer Julio Moran contributed to this story.