This summer has seen days of repeat record-breaking highs from one end of the country to the next.
For those like me who live in the deep south, this isn’t differ from any other usual summer season, but for those in the Pacific Northwest, these temperatures are completely unprecedented.
Getting 116 degree heat waves is downright deadly. Hundreds of deaths are being blamed on the intense heat and heat related illnesses. It’s scary in that region in particular because it is so cold there throughout the year that many people forgo using air conditioning altogether. If you traditionally have mild summers where you get a good breeze coming in through windows and doors, there wouldn’t be any immediate motivation to purchase one for thousands of dollars and have it installed. I know people who live in Canada and have never had a home with a central air conditioner inside. Some have windows a/cs, but even these are rare in some communities up north. These days the summer highs are getting so severe that I have to maintain my air conditioner enough to keep it running for most of the year. It’s unfortunate because I struggle to get on the HVAC supplier’s service schedule unless I do it months in advance. If I call, usually I have to wait three or four weeks to get a technician at my house for standard air conditioner and furnace maintenance. If I do this in the summer or winter, the wait times can get even worse. That’s why I usually schedule my a/c and furnace repair and service visits in advance if I can.