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Last updated 11:43 am CT September 02, 2010.
Frigid Weather Keep Furnace Technicians Busy
The heater they rely on broke, and only a skeleton crew is available to fix it. When David Crites isn't working, he's taking calls and setting his schedule.
Since the cold snap- Crites has been working non-stop. He just got the heat back on for this Royalton family, and is now on his way to the Lenich house in West Frankfort where the family woke up to a chilly 64 degrees.
"I was shaving; it was cold," Jay Lenich said. "I could feel it on my back, the skin. It felt cold."
When Crites arrives, the home is back to its regular 77 degrees. He goes straight to the furnace to see what the cause might be. Crites worked a 16-hour day Friday, and is on-call this weekend for Pass One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning.
"It's been a busy week this week," Crites said. "We've gotten several calls, no heat calls. We try to take care of them as soon as possible."
The problem at the Lenich home puzzles Crites because everything seems to be in order, and the furnace is only a couple months old. Just last December, the Lenichs had Pass One Hour out to try to fix their furnace problem. Then, Lenich said, being inside was like standing outside in the snow.
"Our house was feeling freezing," he said. "It's like 20 degrees inside. That's how cold. It's like this."
"I like working on things, and I like helping people with their problems--help them take care of their problems," Crites said.
After about an hour of looking over the Lenich's furnace, Crites feels it's fixed. The problem here: possibly a faulty thermostat. Relief for Crites, and a warmer home for the Lenichs.
"I hope they keep it fixed," Lenich said. "That way it will keep warm forever!"
David Crites says there are a couple things you can do to keep your furnace working well:
1. Change your air filter regularly
2. Blow the dust out of your thermostat, so it doesn't stick
3. Sign up for a regular maintenance plan to keep the system working at its best
By: Jeff Stensland
jstensland@wsiltv.com
Now: 1283451214
