People in North Carolina have welcomed a cooler first week of August after the scorching hot month of July.

What You Need To Know

  • Frankie Asfari, who owns IcyHot Heating and Air Conditioning, says summer is the busiest time for his company

  • Asfari's crews serve thousands of customers in Wake County

  • July was the planet's hottest month ever recorded, according to two global climate organizations

July was the hottest month in recorded history for the Earth, the World Meteorological Organization and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service have found.

And nearly 90% of American homes use air conditioning, according to the U.S Energy Information Administration. A majority of those can be found in the southern region of the country. 

Frankie Asfari entered the world of heating, ventilation and air conditioning in 2004.

“Some take five minutes and some take five hours. It all depends on the job,” the A/C technician said.

Installing air conditioners in Wake County has been his bread and butter for almost 20 years.

“That’s what I like about this — it’s challenging. It’s not the same routine every day,” he said.

Asfari owns the IcyHot Heating and Air Conditioning company. The 45-year-old said his crews serve thousands in Wake County, which means money is good.

“We’re going to make our money regardless, but the consumers are spending more,” Asfari said.

He said the cost is coming out of customers’ wallets. Asfari said consumers may pay $8,000-$30,000 for a unit, depending on the need.

“Everyone who works in HVAC is busy in the summer. People can’t stand the heat,” Asfari said.

Tougher Environmental Protection Agency regulations are at least one reason why. The nation’s top environmental entity requires manufacturers to create units that produce fewer emissions. This can result in paying more up front for a lower cost over time in hopes of sustaining a greener planet.

Olivia Crovetto of Cary had to replace an A/C unit that she had for little over a year.

“We moved here in 2014 and it was really hard to find someone. We’ve been working with Frankie for a really long time and we are really lucky to have someone good to work with,” Crovetto said.

The mother of two said nothing is worse than sweating through the hottest time of the year indoors with no relief. 

“We just decided to bite the bullet and get a system that is going to hold up,” she said.