Home Hardware says demand for air conditioners outweighs supply

One store in Charlottetown has been struggling to help Islanders stay cool in this muggy weather.

Tammy Clory, assistant manager at Home Hardware, said dehumidifier, air conditioner and fans sales have been phenomenal, so much so that they can’t keep up with demand.

“For us, right now, air conditioners are sold out, unfortunately,” Clory said Thursday. “We cannot get anything; we cannot source anything but we do have a fresh load of fans arriving (today) and dehumidifiers.”

Most of the store’s air conditioners are sold out for the season.

“We have to pre-book our air conditioners in the fall for the next spring so we book what we think would be enough but, who knows, Mother Nature always plays tricks on us.’’

Clory said the supplier in Nova Scotia, which supplies 100 stores in the Maritimes, simply can’t meet the demand.

“They just ran out. The manufacturer is saying they’d never be able to make enough to get us anymore this year.’’

Fans have been especially popular with Island farmers who have been using them to keep livestock cool and while working the land.

“One woman bought a fan for her husband in the tractor. She was buying some battery-operated fans because his air conditioner had quit and it was atrociously hot for him,’’ Clory said. “Not everybody has the new equipment that would have the capability of having an air conditioner.”