Storms cause boost in business for heating and roofing companies in Visalia

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The harsh weather has created trouble for people on the roads and at home.

The colder temperatures and lower snow levels have meant more calls for heating and roofing professionals across the Valley.

"We get a lot of heating calls, no heat calls, heaters going out," said Mitchell Tatarakis, owner of Comfort Pro Heating & Cooling.

A majority of the calls are due to issues with failing heaters, and ways to avoid those higher gas and electricity bills.

"Make sure that your house is well insulated, if you have vaulted ceilings in your house turn your fans on low in reverse to circulate some of that warmer air that may be trapped in your ceiling," said Tatarakis.

The rain, high winds and toppled trees have also resulted in an increased demand for roof repairs.

"We actually had the highest call volume this year, I think in one day I got like 200 phone calls," said Jose Rayo, the co-owner of Lightning Roofing Co.

Some homeowners with unfinished projects were left cleaning up a wet, leaky mess and are now stuck with more expensive repairs.

"The big storm just lifted it up and started putting water inside of the actual attic and insulation," said Rayo.

And as more unsettled weather is expected this season, there are some options for homeowners to help save on the cost of heating.

"If you've already got solar, a good option would be to purchase a high efficient heat pump that would not need gas," Mitchell said.

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