Rochester, N.Y.— People in Rochester can handle snow or cold weather. Most of the time, it’s no big deal. Heat on the other hand, may be a different story.
“Only 20 percent of homes in Rochester have central air-conditioning,” says Joseph Kruger of Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning. “There are a lot of homes without air.”
That’s why this summer has been one of the best years for the company.
“We're doing about 30 percent better than what we did last year,” Kruger says. “It’s definitely going to be a banner year for us. One of the best we've have in the history of the company, which is 67 years.”
He says some people call, fed up with the heat. Others are trying to fix their air conditioning when it breaks down.
“We do get those panic calls,” Kruger says. “There is no doubt about it. We're prepared for those.”
He says that in the past many people may have decided to go without AC but more people are seeing the advantages to having one.
“Air was a luxury,” he says. “It’s no longer is a luxury. Most people work in an office or buildings with AC and they want to come home to the same comfort.”
But air conditioning units aren’t the only things selling well this summer. Pools are also in high demand.
“The phones are ringing that's all we know,” says John Napodano, president of Pettis Pools and Patio. “They’re saying ‘I want info on pools’ or ‘Can you come out’. We know in our hearts it’s the warm weather driving that call.”
Napodano says sales and inquiries are up about 20 to 25 percent this year. Also, the warm weather in March helped the company get a head start on installations.
Still, because of the demand, installations for in-ground pools are scheduled for the fall now. However, above-ground pools can be installed in 2 weeks.
Napodano says that pools are a long-term investment and most people mull over the idea for quite a while. In Napodano’s eyes, the recent heat has helped those follow through with their plans for a pool.
“We think the heat is finally pushing people to say, ‘Let's make that call and find out what this costs.’”
