SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- HVAC crews have been busier than usual after last week’s frigid temperatures.

“They were saying [we had] something like 50 calls an hour or something crazy like that. It was a bunch.” Barry Bruce with All Klear All Hours said.

The company says the winter storm has increased its workload.

“About twice as much as what we normally are,” Bruce said. “When it’s -20 windshield outside, [your furnace] is probably going to run an hour or 2 hours long before it shuts itself off trying to maintain that temperature. And when it’s running that, often it’s going to be kind of weak point, and it is going to break.”

Another hurdle for HVAC crews, plus people looking to fix their own heating units themselves, is trying to find parts.

“Generally, there’s a nationwide shortage on dates, back equipment anyway,” Bruce said. “A lot of things you run into because it was the holiday weekend is if it was a manufactured specific part. Obviously, the manufacturers are not open on holiday weekend.”

This also affects local parts stores like Johnstone Supply.

“During winter hours, [it’s a] slower time, and we’re busier or busier than what we normally do during a hot summer day, you know, because everybody’s, you know, trying to get parts.” Dale Calton said.

Calton says the holiday weekend plus the storm created a huge need for parts in a short amount of time.

Parts aside, Bruce says a busted furnace can be preventable.

“Furnaces are designed to be maintenance to once a year. You really need to have somebody out in your house, opening that up, cleaning it, making sure that it’s good every year.”