AC Installers Overwhelmed as Belgium Heatwave Drives Demand

Air conditioning installers across Belgium are struggling to keep pace with an unprecedented surge in demand as a record-breaking heatwave continues to grip the country. Companies are reporting waiting lists of six to eight weeks, with some customers being told their installations may not be completed until after summer 2026.

According to RTBF, the Liège-based installation company Coelmont is receiving over 40 requests per day. “We’re at more than 40 requests per day at the moment,” a company representative told the broadcaster. “The weather conditions explain it. The delays are around six to eight weeks. Material is not a problem — stocks are relatively well-stocked.”

A Nation in Search of Cool Air

The heatwave, which began around June 22, 2026, has seen temperatures soar to between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius across Belgium. The national heatwave and ozone peak plan was activated on June 23 by the Risk Management Group, signaling the severity of the situation. Meteorologist Pascal Mormal of the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) warned that nighttime minimums could reach historic levels of 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, which would break the previous record of 24.4 degrees set on July 4, 2015.

For residents like Jeannine Danloy of Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse, the installation of a new air conditioning unit came as a relief. “Given the temperatures at the moment, it feels good,” she told RTBF. “We hit 36, 37 degrees after all. It was decided overnight. I would have liked to have it during the heatwave. With last week’s temperatures, it was complicated to sleep.”

Explosive Growth in AC Adoption

Belgium has historically had low air conditioning penetration due to its temperate climate, but that is changing rapidly. AC adoption has surged from approximately 100,000 households in 2016 to an estimated 1.7 million in 2026 — a 17-fold increase in just one decade. With roughly 5 million households nationwide, that means approximately one in three Belgian homes is now equipped with air conditioning.

Installer Jérémy Raveyts, who works for Coelmont, noted the growing importance of the technology. “They are very happy to see us when we arrive, given the circumstances, obviously,” he said. “Air conditioning is going to become more and more important in any case. Generally, these are one- or two-day jobs that can go up to a week. And you can feel the difference afterwards.”

Chaos at the Checkout

The scramble for cooling solutions reached a fever pitch on July 1, when discount supermarket chain Aldi launched a promotion on portable air conditioning units priced at 145 euros. The promotion caused chaos in multiple stores across the country. In Heist-op-den-Berg, just three units were available for 30 waiting customers, leading to scenes described by witness Margot Stallaert as “jostling, collisions, and uproar. People were snatching the devices out of each other’s hands.”

Aldi spokesperson Jason Sevestre acknowledged the unprecedented demand, telling DHnet: “This is the first time Aldi has marketed an air conditioner under its own brand. We plan up to a year in advance.” Consumer expert Safia Yachou noted that such promotions “can give the impression of bait advertising.”

Broader Impacts of the Heatwave

The heatwave’s effects have been felt far beyond Belgium’s borders. In neighboring France, approximately 1,000 excess deaths were recorded during the heatwave period, with 85 percent of those aged 65 and older, according to VRT NWS. The French health agency reported that 74 drowning deaths also occurred during the period.

What Lies Ahead

The current bottleneck in AC installation is not one of supply but of labor capacity. With stocks well-stocked but skilled installers in short supply, the industry faces a structural challenge in meeting what appears to be a permanent shift in demand driven by increasingly frequent extreme heat events.

As climate projections suggest that heatwaves will become more common and intense, the question of how Belgium adapts its housing stock becomes ever more pressing. The tension between energy-intensive air conditioning and more sustainable passive cooling solutions is likely to become a central policy debate in the years ahead. For now, however, the priority for thousands of Belgian households is simply staying cool — even if they have to wait until next summer to do so.