Phoenix residents ration air conditioning out of fear of future electricity bills as record heat waves turn homes into ‘non-fryers’

On Saturday, Phoenix had its 23rd straight day of temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Crispin Chavira, a paramedic and engineer with the Phoenix Fire Department, said this summer was unforgiving.

“People call me at the bus stop because they see someone not moving in the 118-degree days we’re having, and it’s not normal,” Chavira told CBS affiliate KPHO.

In Cortez Park, Phoenix, firefighters responded to a 911 call that a man was in distress. The crew put the man in a harness filled with ice and cold water, a method that KPHO saved his life, Phoenix Fire Captain Karl Chandler said.

“We put some of the drips on ice…so it can cool the individual’s internal temperature faster,” Chandler said. “We’ve also come up with different ways to make an ice bath on the spot.”

Air conditioning is a lifeline that made the modern Phoenix possible.

Jonathan Bean, co-director of the Energy Solutions Institute at the University of Arizona, says that with cloudless skies and outdoor temperatures above 100 degrees, the house turns into an “air fryer” or “broiler” as the roof absorbs intense heat and radiates it downwards. Bean not only knows this from his research, but experienced it firsthand this weekend when his air conditioner broke.

“This level of heat we’re experiencing in Phoenix right now is very dangerous, especially for those who don’t have air conditioning or can’t afford to run it,” said Evan Mullen, senior analyst at the Georgia Tech Urban Climate Lab.

However, some people are trying to endure the heat by refraining from using air conditioners for fear of quickly rising electricity bills.

Camille Lavaney, 29, has developed a unique system to keep herself and her 10-month-old St. Bernard Wrigley cool during Arizona’s heatwave. Through trial and error, Lavaney found that 83 degrees Fahrenheit was an acceptable temperature to keep her utility bills down.

With the help of a NEST smart thermostat, Lavaney keeps her home hot during the most expensive hours of the day, 4-7 p.m., by tracking the on-peak and off-peak schedules of Arizona Public Service’s public services. She keeps the fans running and a cooling bed ready for Wrigley, and they both try to get by until the power company’s official peak hours pass.

“I have a dog, so I like to eat during the hottest times of the day,” she said. Last month, Ms. Lavaney said her utility bill was about $150.

The cooling strategy for Emily Schmidt’s Tempe, Arizona home also centers on her dog. Air conditioners are “constantly talked about” with partners, he said.

“Sometimes I wish it was cooler, but I have to balance saving money with making sure the house isn’t too hot for my pet.”

Due to the relentless heat of the last few weeks, “I’m honestly not sure what my electric bill will be like, and it’s really hard to budget for rent and other utilities.”

Katie Martin, director of housing improvement and community services at the Senior Living Foundation, said she recognizes the pet issue as well. Seniors with limited incomes have a risky trade and often don’t come to cooling centers if they don’t allow pets.

“In recent years, we’ve found that most of the seniors we serve keep their thermostats at 80 degrees Fahrenheit to save money,” she says.

Also, many people don’t have a support network of family and friends to turn to if their air conditioner breaks down.

Breakdowns can be dangerous. Models from the Georgia Institute of Technology show that indoors can be even hotter than outdoors, something that people in poorly insulated homes around the world are familiar with. “A single-family home with a large, flat roof can get over 40 degrees hot in a few hours without air conditioning,” Mullen said.

The Salvation Army has installed approximately 11 cooling stations throughout the Phoenix area. Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Wilde, commander of the organization’s southwest division, said some visitors now cannot pay their electricity bills or have adequate air conditioning.

“I spoke to an elderly woman and she said that her air conditioning costs are very high, so she comes to the Salvation Army and stays for a few hours, socializing with other people and coming home when it’s not so hot,” he said.

Wilde said some Salvation Army cooling centers saw more people than last year, even though Phoenix experiences extreme heat every summer. The Salvation Army estimates it has provided heat relief to about 24,000 people in Arizona and southern Nevada since May 1 and distributed about 150,000 water bottles.

Marilyn Brown, a Regent professor of sustainable systems at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said rising air-conditioning costs will force people to cut spending in other areas as well. “People give up a lot of things just to keep their air conditioners running. They might have to give up buying medicines or paying for gasoline to get to work or school,” she says.

“That’s why we’re stuck in such a worrying cycle of poverty, especially once you’re caught in the energy burden and poverty, it’s hard to get out of,” Brown added.

Summarize this content to 100 words On Saturday, Phoenix had its 23rd straight day of temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Crispin Chavira, a paramedic and engineer with the Phoenix Fire Department, said this summer was unforgiving.”People call me at the bus stop because they see someone not moving in the 118-degree days we’re having, and it’s not normal,” Chavira told CBS affiliate KPHO.

In Cortez Park, Phoenix, firefighters responded to a 911 call that a man was in distress. The crew put the man in a harness filled with ice and cold water, a method that KPHO saved his life, Phoenix Fire Captain Karl Chandler said. “We put some of the drips on ice…so it can cool the individual’s internal temperature faster,” Chandler said. “We’ve also come up with different ways to make an ice bath on the spot.”

Air conditioning is a lifeline that made the modern Phoenix possible. Jonathan Bean, co-director of the Energy Solutions Institute at the University of Arizona, says that with cloudless skies and outdoor temperatures above 100 degrees, the house turns into an “air fryer” or “broiler” as the roof absorbs intense heat and radiates it downwards. Bean not only knows this from his research, but experienced it firsthand this weekend when his air conditioner broke.”This level of heat we’re experiencing in Phoenix right now is very dangerous, especially for those who don’t have air conditioning or can’t afford to run it,” said Evan Mullen, senior analyst at the Georgia Tech Urban Climate Lab.However, some people are trying to endure the heat by refraining from using air conditioners for fear of quickly rising electricity bills.

Total Reflections service technician Michael Villa finds shade while wiping the sweat off his face after an air conditioner repair call in Lavigne, Arizona, July 19, 2023.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Camille Lavaney, 29, has developed a unique system to keep herself and her 10-month-old St. Bernard Wrigley cool during Arizona’s heatwave. Through trial and error, Lavaney found that 83 degrees Fahrenheit was an acceptable temperature to keep her utility bills down.

With the help of a NEST smart thermostat, Lavaney keeps her home hot during the most expensive hours of the day, 4-7 p.m., by tracking the on-peak and off-peak schedules of Arizona Public Service’s public services. She keeps the fans running and a cooling bed ready for Wrigley, and they both try to get by until the power company’s official peak hours pass.”I have a dog, so I like to eat during the hottest times of the day,” she said. Last month, Ms. Lavaney said her utility bill was about $150. The cooling strategy for Emily Schmidt’s Tempe, Arizona home also centers on her dog. Air conditioners are “constantly talked about” with partners, he said.”Sometimes I wish it was cooler, but I have to balance saving money with making sure the house isn’t too hot for my pet.”Due to the relentless heat of the last few weeks, “I’m honestly not sure what my electric bill will be like, and it’s really hard to budget for rent and other utilities.”

The heat in the U.S. Southwest won’t ease

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Katie Martin, director of housing improvement and community services at the Senior Living Foundation, said she recognizes the pet issue as well. Seniors with limited incomes have a risky trade and often don’t come to cooling centers if they don’t allow pets. “In recent years, we’ve found that most of the seniors we serve keep their thermostats at 80 degrees Fahrenheit to save money,” she says.

Also, many people don’t have a support network of family and friends to turn to if their air conditioner breaks down.Breakdowns can be dangerous. Models from the Georgia Institute of Technology show that indoors can be even hotter than outdoors, something that people in poorly insulated homes around the world are familiar with. “A single-family home with a large, flat roof can get over 40 degrees hot in a few hours without air conditioning,” Mullen said.The Salvation Army has installed approximately 11 cooling stations throughout the Phoenix area. Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Wilde, commander of the organization’s southwest division, said some visitors now cannot pay their electricity bills or have adequate air conditioning. “I spoke to an elderly woman and she said that her air conditioning costs are very high, so she comes to the Salvation Army and stays for a few hours, socializing with other people and coming home when it’s not so hot,” he said.

Salvation Army volunteer Manuel Luna (left) distributes items to patrons at a cooling station in Phoenix on July 19, 2023.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Wilde said some Salvation Army cooling centers saw more people than last year, even though Phoenix experiences extreme heat every summer. The Salvation Army estimates it has provided heat relief to about 24,000 people in Arizona and southern Nevada since May 1 and distributed about 150,000 water bottles.Marilyn Brown, a Regent professor of sustainable systems at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said rising air-conditioning costs will force people to cut spending in other areas as well. “People give up a lot of things just to keep their air conditioners running. They might have to give up buying medicines or paying for gasoline to get to work or school,” she says.”That’s why we’re stuck in such a worrying cycle of poverty, especially once you’re caught in the energy burden and poverty, it’s hard to get out of,” Brown added.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/phoenix-residents-fear-future-electric-bills-as-record-breaking-heat-turns-homes-into-air-fryers/ Phoenix residents ration air conditioning out of fear of future electricity bills as record heat waves turn homes into ‘non-fryers’