We’ve all experienced it. Your heating system breaks or the power goes out on what feels like the coldest day of the year.
Hopefully, you won’t be without heat for long. But, in the meantime, here are some tips to keep you as warm and comfortable as possible until that magical time arrives!
Open blinds in the daylight hours, close them at night to keep out drafts
In addition to blocking drafts with towels, use your blinds and window coverings to your benefit. Open them during the day to let daylight warm your space as much as possible and at night, close them to keep drafts out and warm air inside.
Close off rooms to avoid wasting heat.
Do you have a storage room or unused guest space in your home? Close the vents in those rooms and keep the doors closed as much as possible. The more space you have, the harder it will be to heat your home (and maintain this heat) without a working heating system. Making the space small even in simple ways like shutting doors of unused rooms can go a long way. Remember to also close the vents in those rooms, forcing the hot air into areas you want heated.
Layers, Layers, Layers
Don’t just put a coat on. Put on a tank, a long sleeve shirt, sweater, and then another sweater and then your coat. This is about staying warm, not fashion or looking svelte. Just put the layers on and wear a hat over your ears. Toasty yet? If not, grab some mittens or gloves or improvise with socks over your hands. And, speaking of socks, wear a couple pairs on your feet and then house slippers if you’re indoors. Stay indoors. This is not the time to be opening your house up and letting the cold inside.
Eat and drink! Food provides energy to warm the body. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Blankets & Cuddles
In addition to all of those layers on your body, cuddle in with multiple thick blankets. It’s important to keep your pets warm as well with blankets and coats, too. Keep both yourselves and your pets warm by cuddling with the dogs. They can act as space heaters because they put out a ton of heat!
Block those cracks and crevices.
Feel cold air coming in somewhere? Use thick towels to keep out the drafts, especially under doors and around windows. Use tape to keep the material in place. It may be unsightly for a time, but we’re looking for warmth right now, no?
Lay down area rugs.
If your home is full of tiles or hardwood floors, you are going to need some plush area rugs to help warm your space. Area rugs work to help keep the heat from escaping your floorboards. In addition, they are much warmer to walk on than bare floors.
Whenever you have a heating issue, give the pros at Total Mechanical Systems a call at (860) 314-1518! We want you AND your home to always be safe and comfortable and we will do everything we can to get you back up and running in no time!
