15-07-2025
As Maritime temperatures rise, so does demand for air conditioning
Air conditioning is the norm these days, but that wasn't always the case.
Despite heat warnings and heat waves, many Maritimers have been taking full advantage of the scorching temperatures, but only under the promise they'll have ice-cold air conditioning available afterwards.
'I think we love golfing in the heat more than the wind, the rain, and the cold. But if we don't have a cold beer and some air conditioning after a round of golf, we're not too happy,' says Richard Gormley.
While there was a time when AC wasn't as common or attainable, these days the cooling system has proven to be a hot commodity.
Brodie Sampson, president of Nova Heat Pumps, Plumbing and Electrical, says they've seen a noticeable demand for heat pumps.
'There has been a huge uptick. As soon as the weather started to get hot, we saw about a 30 to 40 per cent increase in sales. Year over year, we're up about 14 per cent in sales,' he says.
Sampson says they've been getting emergency calls to install new pumps and replace old ones.
'Heat is obviously a necessity, something that we can't live without. But we're soon approaching the bar of AC as something that we can't live without,' says Sampson. 'People die due to heat waves, so air conditioning is really an essential item for comfort. But also necessary, in hospitals, in other businesses and in commercial settings.'
Records show summer months have been getting warmer, which should keep the demand for AC steady.
'Additionally, our chances of getting into things like heat waves and the hottest temperatures reached during those heat waves have also increased over the past couple of decades,' says Kalin Mitchell, CTV News Atlantic chief meteorologist.
