While selling your air conditioner during a record-breaking heat wave may seem a little counterintuitive, many in B.C. are taking to their local resell sites to do just that.
Many stores across the province are sold out of air conditioners as temperatures broke records, hitting temperatures above 35 C in much of B.C. and in some spots, as high as 45 C.
READ MORE: Health authorities offer safety tips as B.C. heat wave sets new record for peak electricity
While some units were listed for their retail value, others were marked up to take advantage of the heat wave. One GREE air conditioner was listed for $3,500 on Craiglist in Vancouver, even though it can be purchased from Staples for $509.99. Another person in Surrey listed a Hisense air conditioner for $2,200 although the same model can be found at Visions Electronics for $699 – and it’s even on sale for $598.
Those who couldn’t get their hands on an air conditioner decided to simply get out of overheating apartments and houses; cities like Burnaby were nearly booked out as overheated residents sought out central air.
Individuals for whom neither an air conditioner nor a hotel room should check out their municipality’s cooling centres, many of which have expanded due to the heat wave.
And not everyone was taking advantage of those trying to escape the heat. One Reddit poster helped a crow cool off while another saw water bottles in a cooler set out for anyone who needed a drink.
