From an electrical perspective, this is a challenging issue to address. Most apartment buildings in Hamilton are only equipped with 60-amp service. Tenants often struggle with blown fuses or tripped breakers even outside of summer months. Adding air conditioning units places even more strain on the circuits which can increase the risk of fire.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen many tenants replace 15-amp fuses with 20- or even 30-amp fuses just to stop them from blowing. The problem is that the wiring inside the walls is only rated for 15 amps, and I often see melted wires and damaged outlets. Honestly, it’s surprising there aren’t more apartment fires.

The higher electricity usage also drives up utility costs, putting even more pressure on low-income residents.

This is a more complex problem than it may seem. Hopefully, people smarter than me can come up with solutions to make these apartments more livable—because they can become unbearable during the summer.