EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Lancaster County, Pa. --- As the temperatures plummet to single digits, if not worse, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning companies start to feel the heat.
Matt Buckwalter, owner and manager of One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning, said they've seen an "unbelievable" workload for the last several days.
He said they're working at full capacity, bringing in up to eight additional technicians to work alongside their roughly 60 technicians working on a normal day.
Buckwalter explained that demand is raising, particularly in the after hours.
“Those service calls from 3 to 4 o’clock in the afternoon through midnight, those calls will increase considerably," said Buckwalter.
Even though the freezing temperatures are already here, service technician Dave Landis said it's not too late to ask for help.
He recommended seeking a professional maintenance check if your heating unit is older than three to five years.
“It can increase the efficiency of it, which drives your electric bills, your gas bills, keeps them down to a minimum," said Landis.
Two aspects Landis said to keep in mind this winter: First, be mindful of outside heating units.
Landis said a failure in the outside unit kicks on the electric heating inside and homeowners may not realize there is a failure until the electric bill comes in the hundreds of dollars.
Also, with combustible fuels such as gas heat, Landis said to make sure there is a working carbon monoxide detector near-by in case of any cracks in the heating exchange of the a unit.
The easiest thing a homeowner can do, Landis said, is to make sure their air filter is clean.
He said to check it regularly to prevent heating units from working harder than they already are.
“A dirty filter can certainly cause your unit to run a lot less efficient," said Landis.
Buckwalter said their biggest challenge this time of year is getting technicians from point "A" to point "B" with their full truckloads, due to road conditions.
He asks anyone seeking service to clear their driveway and sidewalks to help technicians come in and out quickly and safely.
