By Rina Torchinsky, AccuWeather staff writer
As temperatures continue to rise, some summer basics might be harder to access this season due to national shortages and rising prices.
Here’s a look at some of the summer necessities that are affected and could make summer for Americans just a little more uncomfortable than usual.
Air conditioning
After increased demand due to a spring heat wave across the middle of the nation, these cooling devices along with parts to repair them are in short supply, said Andrew Navarro, an HVAC service manager in the Atlanta area.
The shortage follows short staffing in the spring, Navarro told AccuWeather’s National Weather Reporter Kim Leoffler. And much of the extra machines produced by manufacturers have already been purchased after high temperatures this season.
Prices for parts are also shooting up in response to the increased demand. The cost of some parts has risen by as much as 18%, he said. Navarro expects the hikes to continue.
“Just the machine parts to be made have gone up in costs so high that we’ve had two increases from our manufacturer this year alone,” Navarro told AccuWeather.
For those looking to refresh their HVAC systems, Navarro advises acting quickly.
“If you wait until the machine fails and it needs to be replaced it could be a week until we get the equipment and you’re sitting in a hot house,” Navarro said.
Chlorine
A chemical plant that produced a key chlorine ingredient caught fire when Hurricane Laura hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm late last August, leaving businesses strapped for the swimming pool necessity.
The national shortage started last year at a plant in Louisiana, but those who maintain pools are still struggling to get their hands on chlorine tablets, AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor reported.
“As of right now, nobody knows if we’re going to get any this summer,” said Jessica Rhodes, who owns a pool and patio company in Pennsylvania.
And if a hot summer is on the way, Rhodes explained, pools will need even more chlorine, since the water will evaporate at a faster pace.
Given the shortage, some are making the switch to saltwater pools, Rhodes told Victor. But if chlorine pools aren’t properly treated, it’s important to stay out of the water, Rhodes cautioned.
Lifeguards
A lack of lifeguards is keeping some pools and beaches closed this summer after training delays that were brought on by the pandemic.
“Our training got delayed a whole year,” Wyatt Werneth of the American Lifeguard Association told Victor.
As some recreation departments manage staffing difficulties, certain beaches in Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada have not been able to open, Victor reported.
Some areas are offering hiring incentives to entice would-be lifeguards. Andy Grobe, deputy director of Alleghany County Parks in Pennsylvania, said that the organization increased pay from $11 an hour to $14 an hour to attract interested candidates.
But it’s not just the training that could be turning would-be lifeguards away. Some lifeguards are opting for a “normal summer” after the last one was “ripped away from them,” Jim Durkee of AAA Pool Services in Virginia Beach told Marketplace.
A backlog in processing temporary J-1 work visas, which often brought in workers from abroad, could also be a factor behind the shortage, Marketplace reported.
With fewer lifeguards on the beach, it’s important to be aware of rip currents, said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski, and to be aware of what various types of warning flags posted on beaches mean.
“The first thing you should do is survey the water. Take note of where the water is active, where there’s a lot of wave action,” Kottlowski said. “Believe it or not, where there’s not a lot of wave action, is where the rip currents are likely to occur.”
Gasoline
A summer road trip might cost a little extra this year due to increased gas prices across the country.
The price hike comes as a result of the pandemic and other market factors, according to USA TODAY. The average national gas price increased from $2 per gallon to $3 per gallon as of Wednesday, June 9.
“The pandemic drove the world’s oil market to become massively oversupplied, inventory dramatically increased and prices collapsed,” Mark Finley, a fellow at Rice University’s Center for Energy Studies, told USA TODAY.
The demand increased much faster than the rate of production, which meant that the U.S. had to pull from its own gasoline stock. This phenomenon led to the spike in prices.
About a month ago, Reuters reported that the gas shortage caused by the six-day closure of the Colonial Pipeline was “easing.”
Your coffee run
Starbucks is experiencing a shortage of cups, lids and essential drink ingredients, among other things, The New York Times reported recently.
Peach and guava juices, iced and cold-brew coffees and breakfast foods are on the long list of items in short supply, the Times reported.
Customers and baristas have taken to social media to point out the lack of essential ingredients.
A statement from a Starbucks spokesperson said that the company is facing “temporary supply shortages” that vary by location, according to the Times. Some stores are experiencing “outages of various items.”
Lumber prices up and down
Supply and demand sent lumber and plywood prices soaring, which could be a barrier to safety as hurricane season approaches.
Demand for wood increased in the summer of the pandemic since many homeowners opted to pick up home improvement or outdoor projects, Forbes reported.
One piece of plywood that would have cost around $20 last year cost about $64 dollars at the height of the price increases, NBC Chicago reported.
The rising prices could challenge safety measures during hurricane season, when many board up homes or businesses to prevent the powerful winds and waters from wreaking havoc on property. However, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that lumber futures prices were on the decline, by as much as 42% from the highs reached in May. In terms of how that will affect consumers, the Journal reported analysts expect lumber prices to remain relatively high due to the housing market remaining strong.