Homeowners Prep for Second Arctic Blast

"It's cold," said homeowner John Allen

That what John Allen's home was like every time temperatures dropped outside for the last couple of years.

"Tued on the electric heaters there and doing the best I can, then piled on clothes," said Allen

Thursday crews from Resource Service Ministries funded by Atlanta Gas Light were working inside and outside the home -- pumping in much needed insulation as part of a program to help seniors struggling with heating related gas and power bills.

"It's a huge difference, as you saw today, Mr. Allen was heating his home with a couple of little space heaters. He has no insulation whatsoever in his walls or his attic and his fuace wasn't working. He makes $464 a month and his electric bill was 93 dollars because he was running space heaters.

The cold snap has kept others in the home heating business extremely busy -- one contractor says he's had a 40 to 50 percent increase in calls for service.

"This time of year people are calling in because their heat is out and then they've got to wait because everything is backed up and booked up," said Bob Underwood of Estes Heating.

Homeowner Randy Dean is a native Floridian and says he absolutely cannot stand the cold -- so has crews come out to check his fuace this time every year just make sure everything is in working order.

"You don't want to be without heat when it's this cold -- so it's important to make sure its all working properly," said homeowner Randy Dean.