Heat-beating wares red hot in area stores

Chuck North, center, shows an air conditioner to Dolores Holdran and her son Jim Fry at the Appliance Center in Maumee, where demand for large window units has been strong. THE BLADE/LORI KING Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Much like the recent heat, it took a couple of days before sales of air conditioners, fans, children's pools, water slides, and other hot-weather items at Menards Inc.'s Oregon store really started blazing.

Sales were sporadic over the weekend, but they started to amp up Monday and were going strong Tuesdsay, said Dave Long, the store's general manager.

"It's been pretty amazing, actually," he said. "I think that when people realized the weather was going to be here for a while, that's when they started coming in."

High temperatures are expected to continue for the next few days in the Toledo area, with the thermometer reaching 95 degrees Wednesday and 94 degrees Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. By Friday, temperatures are predicted to be 86 degrees; Saturday is expected to be cooler, it said.

So far, this summer's weather is hotter than last's. The highest temperature last July was 87 degrees, although August had a couple of 94-degree days, according to the National Weather Service.

So far, July's heat is not taxing FirstEnergy Corp.'s electricity system in Ohio, which is running at about 80 percent capacity, said Chris Eck, spokesman. FirstEnergy owns Toledo Edison, but it doesn't provide electricity-use details for its operating units.

"These are high-demand days, but they are not record-high-demand days," Mr. Eck said.

About 10 a.m. Tuesday as temperatures climbed, five customers were at Appliance Center shopping for air conditioners. The Maumee store started the day with a good supply of small window air units, and sales manager Chuck North was expecting deliveries to restock depleted supplies of larger window air conditioners with at least 10.000 BTUs as well as models that can be moved around.

"We're selling them like they're going out of style right now," Mr. North said. "The portables are really selling well."

The Toledo area's three Menards stores had a good supply of air conditioners and fans Tuesday, Mr. Long said.

The item in shortest supply was children's pools, he said.

At Lowe's Home Improvement on Alexis Road, air conditioners, fans, pool supplies, sprinkler systems, hoses, and other products have been selling well since Saturday, and are still available, said Andrew Meserth, administrative manager.

"We're pretty well stocked on all of it," he said.

From table-top models to 30-inch commercial units, fans have been hot sellers in recent days at Lambertville Do It Best Hardware.

So have pool supplies, including wading pools purchased both by parents and dog owners, said Evelyn Oswald, owner.

"We've sold a lot of them for pets," she said. "We have a large pet-supply department, so we have a lot of dog lovers who shop here."

Meanwhile, M&M Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. has had 10 technicians answering as many service calls as they can for the last few days.

Elderly customers and those with health conditions are receiving first priority, said Diane Goney, office manager.

"It's extremely busy," said Ms. Goney, who cut her vacation short Monday to help with the crush of calls.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at:

jmckinnon@theblade.com

or 419-724-6087.