Tulsa HVAC, Plumbing Companies Flooded With Calls During Cold Weather

The below-freezing temperatures are causing an increase in heating and plumbing issues across the Tulsa area.

Airco Service said it averages 100 calls a day, but during cold weather like this, they get twice that many.

Airco Service said Monday it saw a mix of frozen pipes and HVAC issues, and technicians are prepared to work late into the night to help keep Tulsans warm.

Outside his home near 15th Street and Yale Avenue, Airco is parked and ready to help.

"Cold weather. No heat,” Ray Blakemore said.

Inside, Blakemore and his family are trying to stay warm.

"Me and my wife and my three other grandchildren so there's five total,” he said.

One source of heat: is the living room fireplace.

"This one helps quite a bit,” he said.

He also has his oven on.

AMY: "Are you nervous using the oven to heat your home?

RAY: “Somewhat, ya, a lot a what. Ya, because gas can be dangerous."

Blakemore said he knows the risk, but he is desperate.

"Ya, very desperate to stay warm,” Blakemore said.

A motor is the problem, said Airco Service Technician Gus Alchammat.

“You can hear how the bearing is, so it's not spinning freely. So when the power comes on, it's not spinning. It's stuck,” Alchammat said.

He said it wasn't installed properly three years ago. It's missing a flue cover, so the motor wasn't protected from the rain. He called around town to look for a replacement.

Several phone calls later and no luck yet, so Blakemore starts to think about another night in the cold.

"Probably go get more heaters and bundle up and pray. Just pray that they can get it fixed,” he said.

There was some good news late Monday afternoon, Alchammat was able to find a new motor and install it, so Blakemore’s heat is working again.

Technicians said another issue they run into, is homes without a carbon monoxide detector. They encourage people to get one right away if they don't have one.