Air conditioners in hot demand as temperatures pass 90 degrees

RENTON, Wash. — With the later summer heat comes the sudden run to get AC and other things to stay cool.

People were snapping up air conditioners in Renton. In just a half hour, at least three people bought air conditioners in one store. Everyone is apparently trying to beat the heat.

We quickly found someone browsing the air conditioners in McLendon’s Hardware.

“Oh, I have one already,” said Mike Nguyen from Renton. “I’m just thinking about adding another one.”

The heat blanketing Western Washington compelled Nguyen to go shopping for some additional cool air.

“I’ve been adding it over the years,” he said. “I just keep upgrading and changing new ones.”

“This was a spur-of-the-moment move,” said Elliot Reposa from Des Moines.

His new air conditioner was firmly planted in his shopping cart.

What spurred the moment? “Heat. A lot of heat,” he said.

The high temperatures drove Reposa to add to the air conditioning he already has.

“I work from home,” he said. “So, you know, I don’t want to be uncomfortable when I’m working.”

According to the feds’ American Housing Survey, two years ago, Seattle lost its moniker as the least air-conditioned city in America. Now more than half of Seattleites live in air-conditioned splendor.

But McLendon’s said those who still don’t have AC have been slow to buy this summer.

“We needed the weather to be, you know, a good three or four days of 90-plus degree weather before people really start to sweat it, in essence,” said Peter Williams, assistant manager at McLendon’s Renton store.

They’re beginning to sweat now? “Oh, yes, yes,” he said. “Me, myself included.”

Samuel Calhoun from Renton is concerned that his parents don’t sweat it too much.

“Seems like Seattle’s been getting more hotter and hotter over the past years,” he said. “I figure it’s an investment they can use for years to come on, so.”

How hot? I bought a laser temperature gauge. It showed the parking lot in Renton was 115 degrees.

The conditions are worse for those who work outside. But the state has new heat rules in place for days like this.

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