Customers flock to hardware stores for supplies to beat the heat

People flock to hardware stores for equipment to beat the heat

People flock to hardware stores for equipment to beat the heat

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Another day of soaring temperatures means big business at local hardware stores where customers have been flocking to stock up on supplies to beat the heat.

“I had to go get an air conditioner today because it was too hot in my apartment,” said Diann Johnson, a customer at Mayer Paint and Hardware in Rochester.

Like many customers stopping by the store, Johnson was buying whatever she needs to stay cool. “I’m coming to get these extension cords,” she said. “Gotta have ’em, right? Use them for my air conditioning!”

It’s why store vice president Dennis McCarthy says he has been staying busy.

“Business has been hot as the weather. This time of year when this happens, pretty much usually at least once or twice a year in the summer, it gets crazy. It’s already a busy time of year. Everyone is doing projects. Inside, outside, everywhere else,” McCarthy said.

But McCarthy says he wouldn’t have it any other way: “It just gets crazy. Everyone gets a little irritable but luckily we have air conditioning so everyone is usually relieved when they walk in.”

From air conditioning units to box fans to cooling supplies, McCarthy says he has everything anyone could want to stay cool.

Daniel Beadle stopped by to pick up weather-stripping for his A/C unit and says finding a way to beat the heat goes beyond just flipping on an A/C switch. “Do not put the A/C downstairs, put the A/C upstairs, because cold air drops instead of rises. Hot air rises,” Beadle advised.

Which is why McCarthy says he is ready to help every customer any way he can.

“It might just be one hot spell. One heat wave. Now we call it a heat dome. Which is certainly scarier sounding. But it’s still kind of earlyish in the summer. So the thing is now there is the potential we could keep getting heat,” McCarthy said.

While it’s been busy, McCarthy says there are still plenty of supplies in stock.

Most of the customers News10NBC spoke with were in good spirits, saying it could be a lot worse given how hot many parts of the country get all summer.

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