The phone is ringing off the hook at Blair Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning.
With an upcoming heatwave that’s about to bake the Okanagan starting Saturday, an air-conditioner install or service call has become the hottest ticket in town.
Blair is of one Kelowna’s biggest heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) businesses.
“We have some real frazzled nerves in the office and out in the field because we are run ragged,” owner Blair Husak told Global News.
READ MORE: ‘Dangerous long-duration heatwave’ in B.C. has experts urging caution
“Obviously, we see extreme heat once or twice a year, but this year is topping it, especially in June,” Husak said.
Early summer heat has more Okanagan residents turning to their air conditioning to beat the heat.
But when everyone cranks up the AC, it will inevitably stress the valley’s electrical grid.
“Extreme temperatures can put a lot of demand on our system,” said Nicole Brown, corporate communications advisor for FortisBC.
“We have upgraded our system considerably over the years, so we are confident we can handle it,” Brown added.
But how will your bank account handle it when that power bill comes one month from now?
Taxing the power grid is one thing, but taxing your finances is another.
However, Blair’s service manager says in order to reduce energy use and save money, there are three easy things you can do to tune up your AC.
“Beyond regular maintenance, the best advice I could give is to make sure you replace your furnace filter regularly,” said Blair’s Steven Roderick.
Roderick also said it’s good to keep the outdoor unit free from obstruction and as clean as possible.
“And a really important one people miss is they tend to block their return air ducts; it’s good to keep those (vents) free in the summertime.”
According to Roderick, those three things could improve your AC unit’s performance by up to 50 per cent.
Which, for some people, may also help make the upcoming heatwave just a little more bearable.